Synthesis and characterization of hyperbranched poly(silyl ester)s

Hyperbranched poly(silyl ester)s were synthesized via the A₂ + B₄ route by the polycondensation reaction. The solid poly(silyl ester) was obtained by the reaction of di‐tert‐butyl adipate and 1,3‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐bis‐β(methyl‐dicholorosilyl)ethyl disiloxane. The oligomers with tert‐butyl terminal groups were obtained via the A₂ + B₂ route by the reaction of 1,5‐dichloro‐1,1,5,5‐tetramethyl‐3,3‐diphenyl‐trisi1oxane with excess amount of di‐tert‐butyl adipate. The viscous fluid and soft solid poly(silyl ester)s were obtained by the reaction of the oligomers as big monomers with 1,3‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐bis‐β(methyl‐dicholorosilyl)ethyl disiloxane. The polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, IR, and UV spectroscopies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The ¹H NMR and IR analysis proved the existence of the branched structures in the polymers. The glass transition temperatures (T_g's) of the viscous fluid and soft solid polymers were below room temperature. The T_g of the solid poly(silyl ester) was not found below room temperature but a temperature for the transition in the liquid crystalline phase was found at 42°C. Thermal decomposition of the soft solid and solid poly(silyl ester)s started at about 130°C and for the others it started at about 200°C. The obtained hyperbranched polymers did not decompose completely at 700°C. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 3430–3436, 2006     

Poly(silyl ester)s: A new route of synthesis via the condensation of Di‐tert‐butyl ester of dicarboxylic acid with dichlorosilane

Poly(silyl ester)s were synthesized by a new route via the condensation of di‐tert‐butyl ester of dicarboxylic acid with dichlorosilane by the elimination of tert‐butyl chloride as a driving force. Three new poly(silyl ester)s with molecular weights typically ranging from 2000 to 5000 amu were produced by the condensation of di‐tert‐butyl adipate with 1,5‐dichloro‐1,1,5,5‐tetramethyl‐3,3‐diphenyl trisiloxane and di‐tert‐butyl fumarate with 1,5‐dichloro‐1,1,5,5‐tetramethyl‐3,3‐diphenyl trisiloxane or 1,3‐dichlorotetramethyl disiloxane. Each polymer was characterized with infrared, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. This new approach showed several advantages. First, it did not require a catalyst or solvent. Second, the tert‐butyl chloride byproduct was volatile and was easily eliminated. Third, there was no reaction between the growing poly(silyl ester)s and the condensation byproduct, tert‐butyl chloride. Fourth, the monomers could be readily purified. Finally, the polymerization could be performed at relatively low temperatures and in a short time. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1378–1384, 2006     

Crosslinking of poly(silyl ester)s containing fumaryloxyl units in the main chain and characteristics of the crosslinked products

Two unsaturated poly(silyl ester)s that contained innoxious fumaryloxyl units in the main chain were prepared by the polycondensation reaction of 1,5‐dichloro‐1,1,5,5‐tetramethyl‐3,3‐diphenyltrisiloxane or 1,3‐dichlorotetramethyldisiloxane with di‐tert‐butyl fumarate under nitrogen at 100°C for 1–3 days. To investigate the crosslinking reaction of the unsaturated poly(silyl ester)s, the two unsaturated poly(silyl ester)s were crosslinked in the presence of 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as a radical initiator. After the crosslinking, the unsaturated poly(silyl ester)s, which were viscous liquids, turned into solid products. The characterization of the two poly(silyl ester)s and the crosslinked products included infrared spectroscopy, ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Comparisons were made between the linear poly(silyl ester)s and the crosslinked poly(silyl ester)s. After the crosslinking, the important resonance signal for ethenylene (C?C) disappeared, and this showed that the crosslinking reaction was carried out progressively. The glass‐transition temperatures of the crosslinked poly(silyl ester)s were higher than those of the uncross‐ linked poly(silyl ester)s, and the thermal stability of the crosslinked poly(silyl ester)s was better than that of uncrosslinked poly(silyl ester)s. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 1221–1225, 2007     

Synthesis and characterization of organosoluble poly(arylate‐imide)s prepared from direct polycondensation of bis(trimellitimide)‐diacids and various bisphenols

Three diimide‐diacids, 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane ( I‐A ), 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)phenyl]propane ( I‐B ), and 5,5′‐bis[4‐ (4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)phenyl]hexahydro‐4,7‐methanoindan ( I‐C ), were prepared by the azeotropic condensation of trimellitic anhydride with three analogous diamines. Three series of alternating aromatic poly(arylate‐imide)s, having inherent viscosities of 0.41–0.82 dL/g, were synthesized from these diimide‐diacids ( I‐A , I‐B , and I‐C ) with various bisphenols by direct polycondensation using diphenyl chlorophosphate and pyridine as condensing agents. All of the polymers were readily soluble in a variety of organic solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and even in the less polar tetrahydrofuran. These polymers could be cast into transparent and tough films, which had strength at break values ranging from 73 to 98 MPa, elongation at break from 6 to 11%, and initial modulus from 1.6 to 2.2 GPa. The softening temperatures of the polymers were recorded at 145–248°C. They had 10% weight loss at a temperature above 450°C and left 35–51% residue even at 800°C in nitrogen. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 3818–3825, 2003     

Organosoluble and light‐colored fluorinated polyimides based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]propane and aromatic dianhydrides

A novel fluorinated diamine monomer, 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]propane (2), was prepared through the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride with 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane in the presence of potassium carbonate, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. Polyimides were synthesized from diamine 2 and various aromatic dianhydrides 3a–f via thermal imidization. These polymers had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.73 to 1.29 dL/g. Polyimides 5a–f were soluble in amide polar solvents and even in less polar solvents. These films had tensile strengths of 87–100 MPa, elongations to break of 8–29%, and initial moduli of 1.7–2.2 GPa. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of 5a–f were in the range of 222–271°C, and the 10% weight loss temperatures (T₁₀) of them were all above 493°C. Compared with polyimides 6 series based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane (BAPP) and polyimides 7 based on 2,2‐Bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane (6FBAPP), the 5 series showed better solubility and lower color intensity, dielectric constant, and lower moisture absorption. Their films had cutoff wavelengths between 363 and 404 nm, b* values ranging from 8 to 62, dielectric constants of 2.68–3.16 (1 MHz), and moisture absorptions in the range of 0.04–0.35 wt %. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 922–935, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of new soluble poly(ester‐imide)s containing noncoplanar 2,2′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐biphenylene unit

A new diimide–diacid chloride (3) containing a noncoplanar 2,2′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐biphenylene unit was synthesized by treating 2,2′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐diamino‐biphenylene with trimellitic anhydride followed by refluxing with thionyl chloride. Various new poly(ester‐imide)s were prepared from 3 with different bisphenols by solution polycondensation in nitrobenzene using pyridine as hydrogen chloride quencher at 170°C. Inherent viscosities of the poly(ester‐imide)s were found to range between 0.31 and 0.35 dL g^?1. All of the poly(ester‐imide)s, except the one containing pendent adamantyl group 5e, exhibited excellent solubility in the following solvents: N,N‐dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, tetrachloroethane, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, m‐cresol, o‐chlorophenol, and chloroform. The polymers showed glass‐transition temperatures between 166 and 226°C. The 10% weight loss temperatures of the poly(ester‐imide)s, measured by TGA, were found to be in the range between 415 and 456°C in nitrogen. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2486–2493, 2004     

New poly(amide‐imide) syntheses. 24. Synthesis and properties of fluorinated poly(amide‐imide)s based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(trimellitimidophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane and various aromatic diamines

An imide ring‐performed dicarboxylic acid bearing one hexafluoroisopropylidene and two ether linkages between aromatic rings, 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane (II), was prepared from the condensation of 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane and trimellitic anhydride. A novel series of poly(amide‐imide)s having inherent viscosities of 0.72 ∼ 1.86 dL g⁻¹ was prepared by the triphenyl phosphite‐activated polycondensation from the diimide‐diacid (II) with various aromatic diamines in a medium consisting of N‐methyl‐2‐pyrolidone, pyridine, and calcium chloride. Several of the resulting polymers were soluble in polar amide solvents, and their solutions could be cast into transparent, thin, flexible films having good tensile properties and high thermal stability. The 10% weight loss temperatures were all above 495°C in air or nitrogen atmosphere, and the glass transition temperatures were in the range of 237°–276°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 823–831, 1999     

Synthesis and characterization of new thermally stable poly(ester‐imide)s derived from 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)biphenyl and 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl and various aromatic dihydroxy compounds

A series of new alternating aromatic poly(ester‐imide)s were prepared by the polycondensation of the preformed imide ring‐containing diacids, 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)biphenyl (2a) and 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (2b) with various aromatic dihydroxy compounds in the presence of pyridine and lithium chloride. A model compound (3) was also prepared by the reaction of 2b with phenol, its synthesis permitting an optimization of polymerization conditions. Poly(ester‐imides) were fully characterized by FTIR, UV‐vis and NMR spectroscopy. Both biphenylene‐ and binaphthylene‐based poly(ester‐imide)s exhibited excellent solubility in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, m‐cresol, pyridine and dichloromethane. However, binaphthylene‐based poly(ester‐imide)s were more soluble than those of biphenylene‐based polymers in highly polar organic solvents, including N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. From differential scanning calorimetry thermograms, the polymers showed glass‐transition temperatures between 261 and 315 °C. Thermal behaviour of the polymers obtained was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, and the 10 % weight loss temperatures of the poly(ester‐imide)s was in the range 449–491 °C in nitrogen. Furthermore, crystallinity of the polymers was estimated by means of wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The resultant poly(ester‐imide)s exhibited nearly an amorphous nature, except poly(ester‐imide)s derived from hydroquinone and 4,4′‐dihydroxybiphenyl. In general, polymers containing binaphthyl units showed higher thermal stability but lower crystallinity than polymers containing biphenyl units. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and characterization of 4,5‐bis(4‐fluorobenzoyl)‐1‐methylcyclohexene and its polyethers

A new difluoride 4,5‐bis(4‐fluorobenzoyl)‐1‐methylcyclohexene (DFKK) has been prepared with fumaryl chloride, fluorobenzene, and 2‐methyl‐1,3‐butadiene as starting materials through two steps of reactions. This DFKK monomer undergoes reaction with 2,2‐(p‐hydroxyphenyl)‐iso‐propane (BPA) in the presence of excess anhydrous potassium carbonate in sulfolane to give a high molecular weight reactive poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) that is very soluble in solvents such as chloroform and N,N‐dimethylformamide at room temperature, has glass transition temperature of 182°C, and is easily cast into flexible and bale ivory film with tensile strength of 64 MPa. The 5% weight loss temperature is 407°C. Ring‐closing reaction of PEKK with hydrazine gives cyclized PEKK (CPEKK) with improved thermal stability and reduced solubility. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 1866–1871, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10454     

Synthesis,characterization, and optoelectronic properties of two new polyfluorenes/poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s copolymers

Two novel copolymers of polyfluorenes/poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s copolymers with p‐tert‐butyl‐phenylenemethylene groups in the C‐9 position of alternating fluorene unit, poly[1,4‐(2,5‐dibutyloxyl)‐phenyleneviny lene‐alt‐9‐(p‐tert‐butyl‐phenylenemethylene)fluorene] and poly[1,4‐(2,5‐dioctyloxyl)‐phenylenevinylene‐alt‐9‐(p‐tert‐butyl‐phenylenemethylene)fluorine], have been synthesized via the Heck polycondensation reaction. The synthesized polymers were characterized by FTIR, NMR, DSC, TGA, UV–vis, and PL spectra. The polymers showed high glass transition temperatures and good thermal stability. A polymer light‐emitting diode with the configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P2/Ca/Al has been fabricated. The device emitted a yellow light with a peak wavelength of 578 nm similar to the PL spectra of the copolymer film. A maximal luminance of 534 cd/m² was obtained at a driving voltage of 24.5 V. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 3955–3962, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of a positive‐working,aqueous‐base‐developable photosensitive polyimide precursor

A positive‐working, aqueous‐base‐developable photosensitive polyimide precursor based on poly(amic ester)‐bearing phenolic hydroxyl groups and a diazonaphthoquinone photosensitive compound was developed. The poly(amic ester) was prepared from a direct polymerization of 2,2′‐bis‐(3‐amino‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane and bis(n‐butyl)ester of pyromellitic acid in the presence of phenylphosphonic dichloride as an activator. Subsequently, the thermal imidization of the poly(amic ester) precursor at 300°C produced the corresponding polyimide. The inherent viscosity of the precursor polymer was 0.23 dL/g. The cyclized polyimide showed a glass‐transition temperature at 356°C and a 5% weight loss at 474°C in nitrogen. The structures of the precursor polymer and the fully cyclized polymer were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ¹H‐NMR. The photosensitive polyimide precursor containing 25 wt % diazonaphthoquinone photoactive compound showed a sensitivity of 150 mJ/cm² and a contrast of 1.65 in a 3 μm film with 1.25 wt % tetramethylammonium hydroxide developer. A pattern with a resolution of 10 μm was obtained from this composition. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 352–358, 2002     

Synthesis and characterization of new aromatic poly(amide–imide)s based on 4‐aryl‐2,6‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenyl) pyridines

New diimide–dicarboxylic acids, ie 4‐phenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenyl)pyridine and 4‐p‐biphenyl‐2,6‐bis‐(4‐trimellitimidophenyl)pyridine, were synthesized by the condensation reaction of 4‐phenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)pyridine and 4‐p‐biphenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)pyridine with trimellitic anhydride in glacial acetic acid or dimethylformamide. The monomers were fully characterized by FT‐IR and NMR spectroscopies, and elemental analyses. A series of novel poly(amide–imide)s with inherent viscosities of 0.68–0.87 dl g^?1 was prepared from the two diimide–diacids with various aromatic diamines by direct polycondensation. The poly(amide–imide)s were characterized by FT‐IR and NMR spectroscopies. The λ_max data for the resulting poly(amide–imide)s were in the range of 260–292 nm. These polymers exhibited good solubilities in polar aprotic solvents. The 10 % weight loss temperatures are above 485 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structure and properties of polyimide‐g‐nylon 6 and nylon 6‐b‐polyimide‐b‐nylon 6 copolymers

Polyimide‐g‐nylon 6 copolymers were prepared by the polymerization of phenyl 3,5‐diaminobenzoate with several diamines and dianhydrides with a one‐step method. The polyimides containing pendant ester moieties were then used as activators for the anionic polymerization of molten ε‐caprolactam. Nylon 6‐b‐polyimide‐b‐nylon 6 copolymers were prepared by the use of phenyl 4‐aminobenzoate as an end‐capping agent in the preparation of a series of imide oligomers. The oligomers were then used to activate the anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam. In both the graft and copolymer syntheses, the phenyl ester groups reacted quickly with caprolactam anions at 120°C to generate N‐acyllactam moieties, which activated the anionic polymerization. All the block copolymers had higher moduli and tensile strengths than those of nylon 6. However, their elongations at break were much lower. The graft copolymers based on 2,2′‐bis[4‐(3,4‐dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]propane dianhydride and 2,2′‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane displayed elongations comparable to that of nylon 6 and the highest moduli and tensile strengths of all the copolymers. The thermal stability, moisture resistance, and impact strength were dramatically increased by the incorporation of only 5 wt % polyimide into both the graft and block copolymers. The graft and block copolymers also exhibited improved melt processability. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 300–308, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of new cardo poly(ether imide)s derived from 9,9‐bis [4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]xanthene

A series of new cardo poly(ether imide)s bearing flexible ether and bulky xanthene pendant groups was prepared from 9,9‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]xanthene with six commercially available aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides in N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) via the poly(amic acid) precursors and subsequent thermal or chemical imidization. The intermediate poly(amic acid)s had inherent viscosities between 0.83 and 1.28 dL/g, could be cast from DMAc solutions and thermally converted into transparent, flexible, and tough poly(ether imide) films which were further characterized by X‐ray and mechanical analysis. All of the poly(ether imide)s were amorphous and their films exhibited tensile strengths of 89–108 MPa, elongations at break of 7–9%, and initial moduli of 2.12–2.65 GPa. Three poly(ether imide)s derived from 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride, 4,4′‐sulfonyldiphthalic anhydride, and 2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl))hexafluoropropane anhydride, respectively, exhibited excellent solubility in various solvents such as DMAc, N,N‐dimethylformamide, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, pyridine, and even in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. The resulting poly(ether imide)s with glass transition temperatures between 286 and 335°C had initial decomposition temperatures above 500°C, 10% weight loss temperatures ranging from 551 to 575°C in nitrogen and 547 to 570°C in air, and char yields of 53–64% at 800°C in nitrogen. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Synthesis and characterization of new cardo poly(bisbenzothiazole)s from 1,1‐bis(4‐amino‐3‐mercaptophenyl)‐4‐tert‐butylcyclohexane dihydrochloride

A new monomer 1,1‐bis(4‐amino‐3‐mercaptophenyl)‐4‐tert‐butylcyclohexane dihydrochloride, bearing the bulky pendant 4‐tert‐butylcyclohexylidene group, was synthesized from 4‐tert‐butylcyclohexanone in three steps. Its chemical structure was characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS, FTIR, and EA. Aromatic poly(bisbenzothiazole)s (PBTs V) were prepared from the new monomer and five aromatic dicarboxylic acids by direct polycondensation. The inherent viscosities were in the range of 0.63–2.17 dL/g. These polymers exhibited good solubility and thermal stability. Most of the prepared PBTs V were soluble in various polar solvents. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss that were in the range of 495–534°C in nitrogen. All the PBTs V, characterized by X‐ray diffraction, were amorphous. The UV absorption spectra of PBTs V showed a range of λ_max from 334 to 394 nm. All the PBTs V prepared had evident fluorescence emission peaks, ranging from 423 to 475 nm with different intensity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2000–2008, 2006     

Synthesis and properties of novel phosphorus‐containing poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s

A novel monomer, bis[4‐(4‐fluorobenzoyl)phenyl]phenylphosphine oxide, was synthesized through the reaction of bis(4‐chloroformylphenyl) phenyl phosphine oxide with fluorobenzene. Three poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s derived from bis[4‐(4‐fluorobenzoyl)phenyl]phenylphosphine oxide and different aromatic bisphenols were prepared by aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions. The resulting polymers had inherent viscosities in the range of 0.55–0.73 dL/g. The structures of the poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s were characterized with Fourier transform infrared and ¹H‐NMR. Thermal analysis indicated that the glass‐transition temperatures of the poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s were higher than 200°C, and the 5% weight loss temperatures in nitrogen were higher than 463°C. All the polymers showed excellent solubility in polar solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, and dimethylacetamide and could also be dissolved in chlorinated methane. The polymers afforded transparent and flexible films by solvent casting. Organic phosphorous moieties also imparted good flame‐retardancy to the polymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. V. Synthesis and biodegradation behavior of poly(ester amide)s composed of 1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D‐glucitol, α‐amino acid,and aliphatic dicarboxylic acid units

A series of poly(ester amide)s were synthesized by solution polycondensations of various combinations of p‐toluenesulfonic acid salts of O,O′‐bis(α‐aminoacyl)‐1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D ‐glucitol and bis(p‐nitrophenyl) esters of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids with the methylene chain lengths of 4–10. The p‐toluenesulfonic acid salts were obtained by the reactions of 1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D ‐glucitol with alanine, glycine, and glycylglycine, respectively, in the presence of p‐toluenesulfonic acid. The polycondensations were carried out in N‐methylpyrrolidone at 40°C in the presence of triethylamine, giving poly(ester amide)s having number‐average molecular weights up to 3.8 × 10⁴. Their structures were confirmed by FTIR, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy. Most of these poly(ester amide)s are amorphous, except those containing sebacic acid and glycine or glycylglycine units, which are semicrystalline. All these poly(ester amide)s are soluble in a variety of polar solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol, m‐cresol, pyridine, and trifluoroacetic acid. Soil burial degradation tests, BOD measurements in an activated sludge, and enzymatic degradation tests using Porcine pancreas lipase and papain indicated that these poly(ester amide)s are biodegradable, and that their biodegradability markedly depends on the molecular structure. The poly(ester amide)s were, in general, degraded more slowly than the corresponding polyesters having the same aliphatic dicarboxylic acid units, both in composted soil and in an activated sludge. In the enzymatic degradation, some poly(ester amide)s containing dicarboxylic acid components with shorter methylene chain lengths were degraded more readily than the corresponding polyesters with Porcine pancreas lipase, whereas most of the poly(ester amide)s were degraded more rapidly than the corresponding polyesters with papain. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2721–2734, 2001     

Synthesis and properties of new aromatic poly(ester‐imide)s derived from 4‐p‐biphenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenyl) pyridine and various dihydroxy compounds

A novel class of wholly aromatic poly(ester‐imide)s, having a biphenylene pendant group, with inherent viscosities of 0.32–0.49 dL g^?1 was prepared by the diphenylchlorophosphate‐activated direct polyesterification of the preformed imide‐ring‐containing diacid, 4‐p‐biphenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenyl)pyridine (1) with various aromatic dihydroxy compounds in the presence of pyridine and lithium chloride. A reference diacid, 2,6‐bis(trimellitimido)pyridine (2) without a biphenylene pendant group and two phenylene rings in the backbone, was also synthesized for comparison purposes. At first, with due attention to structural similarity and to compare the characterization data, a model compound (3) was synthesized by the reaction of compound 1 with two mole equivalents of phenol. Moreover, the optimum condition of polymerization reactions was obtained via a study of the model compound synthesis. All of the resulting polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The ultraviolet λ_max values of the poly(ester‐imide)s were also determined. All of the resulting polymers exhibited excellent solubility in common organic solvents, such as pyridine, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, and m‐cresol, as well as in polar organic solvents, such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The crystalline nature of the polymers obtained was evaluated by means of wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The resulting poly(ester‐imide)s showed nearly an amorphous nature, except poly(ester‐imide) derived from 4,4′‐dihydroxy biphenyl. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the polymers determined by differential scanning calorimetry thermograms were in the range 298–342 °C. The 10% weight loss temperatures (T_10%) from thermogravimetric analysis curves were found to be in the range 433–471 °C in nitrogen. Films of the polymers were also prepared by casting the solutions. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and properties of fluorinated bis‐benzocyclobutene‐terminated arylene ether monomers

Four novel bis‐benzocyclobutene‐endcapped arylene ether monomers, 1,1′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane (BOPP3FE), 1,1′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1‐(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane(BOPP9FE), 2,2′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexfluoropropane (BOP6FP), and 2,2′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐propane (BOPP) were prepared and characterized. All the four monomers showed similar curing behaviors under N₂ (Differential scanning calorimetry: extrapolated onset and peak temperatures at 225–229°C and 261–263°C) and demonstrated low and steady melt viscosities between 110 and 200°C, indicating their good processability. After cure, the resulting BCB resins exhibited high T_g (232–282°C) and excellent thermal stability (T_5% > 433°C). The resins also showed good mechanical properties with the flexural strengths of 68–88 MPa and the flexural modulus of 2.52–3.15 GPa. Moreover, the resins also exhibited low dielectric constants (2.58–2.88), low dissipation factors (2.7 to 8.4 × 10?4) and low water absorptions in boiling water for 24 h (0.29–0.59%). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Highly trans‐1,4‐specific polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene catalyzed by [2,6‐bis{(4S)‐ (−)‐isopropyl‐2‐oxazolin‐2‐yl}pyridine] chromium complex activated with modified methylaluminoxane

Chromium complexes with N,N,N‐tridentate ligands, LCrCl₃ (L = 2,6‐bis{(4S)‐(?)‐isopropyl‐2‐oxazolin‐2‐yl}pyridine ( 1 ), 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine ( 2 ), and 4,4′,4″‐tri‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine ( 3 )), were prepared. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by X‐ray crystallography. Upon activation with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), 1 catalyzed the polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene, while 2 and 3 was inactive. The obtained poly(1,3‐butadiene) obtained with 1 ‐MMAO was found to have completely trans‐1,4 structure. The 1 ‐MMAO system also showed catalytic activity for the polymerization of isoprene to give polyisoprene with trans‐1,4 (68%) and cis‐1,4 (32%) structure. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry