Synthesis and properties of novel aromatic polyamides with xanthene cardo groups

Two novel monomers, 9,9‐bis4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]xanthene (BCAPX) and 9,9‐bis4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]xanthene (BAPX) were prepared in two main steps starting from nucleophilic substitution of 9,9‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)xanthene (BHPX) with p‐fluorobenzonitrile and p‐chloronitrobenzene, respectively. Using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents, two series of polyamides containing xanthene cardo groups with the inherent viscosities (0.82–1.32 dL/g) were prepared by polycondensation from BCAPX with various aromatic diamines or from BAPX with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids in an N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing dissolved calcium chloride, respectively. All new polyamides were amorphous and readily soluble in various polar solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), NMP, N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and pyridine. These polymers showed relatively high glass transition temperatures between 264 and 308°C, decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss ranging from 502 to 540°C and 488 to 515°C in nitrogen and air, respectively, and char yields at 800°C in nitrogen higher than 56%. Transparent, flexible, and tough films of these polymers cast from DMAc solutions exhibited tensile strengths ranging from 86 to 109 MPa, elongations at break from 13 to 22%, and initial moduli from 2.15 to 2.63 GPa. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010