Synthesis and characterization of hyperbranched aromatic poly(ester-imide)s

The synthesis and characterization of hyperbranched aromatic poly(ester-imide)s are described. A variety of AB₂ monomers, N-3- or 4-bis(4-acetoxyphenyl)toluoyl]-4-carboxyl-phthalimide and N-{3- or 4-1,1-bis(4-acetooxyphenyl)]ethylphenyl}-4-carboxy phthalimides were prepared starting from condensation of nitrobenzaldehydes or nitroacetophenones with phenol and used for synthesis of hyperbranched poly(ester-imide)s containing terminal acetyl groups by transesterification reaction. These hyperbranched poly(ester-imide)s were produced with weight-average molecular weight of up to 6.87 g/mol. Analysis of ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy revealed the structure of the four hyperbranched poly(ester-imide)s. These hyperbranched poly(ester-imide)s exhibited excellent solubility in a variety of solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and tetrahydrofuran and showed glass-transition temperatures between 217 and 255 °C. The thermogravimetric analytic measurement revealed the decomposition temperature at 10% weight-loss temperature (T_d¹⁰) ranging from 365 to 416 °C in nitrogen.