Organosoluble polyimides and copolyimides based on 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenylethane and aromatic dianhydrides

1,1‐Bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenylethane (BAPPE) was prepared through nucleophilic substitution reaction of 1,1‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1‐phenylethane and p‐chloronitrobenzene in the presence of K₂CO₃ in N,N‐dimethylformamide, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. Novel organosoluble polyimides and copolyimides were synthesized from BAPPE and six kinds of commercial dianhydrides, including pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA, I_a ), 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA, I_b ), 3,3′,4,4′‐ biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA, I_c ), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA, I_d ), 3,3′,4,4′‐diphenylsulfonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (DSDA, I_e ) and 4,4′‐hexafluoroisopropylidenediphthalic anhydride (6FDA, I_f ). Differing with the conventional polyimide process by thermal cyclodehydration of poly(amic acid), when polyimides were prepared by chemical cyclodehydration with N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone as used solvent, resulted polymers showed good solubility. Additional, I_a,b were mixed respectively with the rest of dianhydrides (I_c–f) and BAPPE at certain molar ratios to prepare copolyimides with arbitrary solubilities. These polyimides and copolyimides were characterized by good mechanical properties together with good thermal stability. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2082–2090, 2000     

Synthesis and properties of highly refractive polyimides derived from fluorene‐bridged sulfur‐containing dianhydrides and diamines

Highly refractive and transparent polyimides (PIs) based on fluorene‐bridged and sulfur‐containing monomers have been developed. An aromatic dianhydride, 4,4′‐[p‐thiobis(phenylenesulfanyl)]diphthalic anhydride (3SDEA), was polymerized with several fluorene‐containing diamines, including commercially available 9,9′‐bis(p‐aminophenyl)fluorene (APF), 9,9′‐bis[4‐(p‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]fluorene (OAPF), and newly synthesized 9,9′‐bis[4‐(p‐aminophenyl)sulfanylphenyl]fluorene (ASPF) to afford series A PIs. Meanwhile, series B PIs were obtained from a new dianhydride, 4,4′‐[(9H‐fluorene‐9‐ylidene)bis(p‐phenylsulfanyl)]diphthalic anhydride (FPSP) and two aromatic diamines, ASPF and 4,4′‐thiobis[(p‐phenylenesulfanyl)aniline] (3SDA) via a two‐step polycondensation procedure. The PIs exhibit good thermal stabilities, such as relatively high glass transition temperatures in the range of 220–270 °C and high initial thermal decomposition temperatures (T_10%) exceeding 490 °C. The 9,9′‐disubstituted fluorene moieties endow the PI films with good optical transparency. The optical transmittances of the PI films at 450 nm are all higher than 80% for the thickness of about 10 μm. Furthermore, the highly aromatic fluorene moiety and flexible thioether linkages in the molecular chains of the PIs provide them with high refractive indices of 1.6951–1.7258 and small birefringence of 0.0056–0.0070. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1510–1520, 2008     

Copolyimide imidization induced by far‐infrared radiation

The copolyimides derived from 3,4′‐oxidianiline (ODA), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyl dianhydride (BPDA) were synthesized in N,N‐dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) by a two‐step method. To control molecular weight, phthalic anhydride (PA) was used as an end‐capping reagent. The effect of far‐infrared radiation (FIR) on imidization of copolyimides was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and was compared to conventional electrothermal imidization. The effect of imidization time and film thickness on weight loss of imidization process was also studied. The results show that the FIR can accelerate the imidization process of copolyimides compared with the conventional electrothermal treatment especially during the primary curing period. Weight loss of thin film is faster than that of thick film. In addition, molecular weight will influence the imidization process. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2154–2160, 2005     

Studies on polyimide imidization in far‐infrared radiation

In this paper, the monomers 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA), 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyl dianhydride (BPDA), 3,4′‐oxidianiline (3,4′‐ODA), and 4,4′‐oxidianiline (4,4′‐ODA) were selected to synthesize polyimides (PI) or copolyimides (co‐PI) in N,N‐dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) by two‐step method. To control the PI molecular weight (MW), phthalic anhydride (PA) was used as the end‐capping reagent. The effect of far‐infrared radiation (FIR) on PI imidization was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Some factors affecting imidization process in FIR were discussed, including PI imidization time and temperature, molecular structure, designed number average molecular weight, crystalline, imidization procedure, film thickness, polyamide acid (PAA) solid content, and so forth. The PI imidization process in FIR will be affected by all these factors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3621–3627, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of new polyimides containing calix[4]arenes in the polymer backbone

Two diaminocalix[4]arene monomers were synthesized from p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene through a 4-step reaction sequence. New copoly(amic acid)s containing calix[4]arene moieties on the polymer backbone were successfully synthesized in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone by polycondensations of 4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) with the diaminocalix[4]arene monomers using 4,4′-oxydiphenylene diamine (ODA) as a comonomer. These copoly(amic acid)s were soluble in aprotic polar solvents, so that they can be processed in various ways. The copoly(amic acid) precursors were thermally converted to the corresponding copolyimides in films. The copolyimide films are amorphous, but insoluble in common solvents. They are thermally stable up to 366°C. The copolyimides exhibit relatively high TEC's, low T_g's, low refractive index, low dielectric constant, low optical anisotropy, low dielectric anisotropy, and low water uptake, compared to those of conventional ODPA-ODA polyimide. These property characteristics were interpreted in regard to bulky, cone-like calix[4]arene moieties and their effects on the chain conformation and morphological structure. The processability and property characteristics support that both of the copolyimides containing calix[4]arene moieties are potential candidate materials suitable for membranes, antioxidant additives, chemical sensor devices, and microelectronic devices. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2013–2026, 1999     

Arylamino‐functionalized fluorene‐ and carbazole‐based copolymers: Color‐tuning their CdTe nanocrystal composites from red to white

Four alternating arylamino‐functionalized copolymers were synthesized in a Suzuki copolymerization applying 4, 4′‐(2,7‐dibromo‐9H‐fluorene‐9,9‐diyl)dianiline, 4,4′‐(2,7‐dibromo‐9H‐fluorene‐9,9‐diyl)bis(N,N‐diphenylaniline), 4‐(3,6‐dibromo‐9H‐ carbazol‐9‐yl)aniline and 4‐(3,6‐dibromo‐9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐N,N‐diphenylaniline in combination with 2,2′‐(9,9‐dioctyl‐9H‐fluorene‐2,7‐diyl)bis(1,3,2‐dioxaborinane). The resulting novel alternating copolymers were fully characterized. The copolymers revealed blue light emission and wide optical bandgaps of at least 2.93 eV for the fluorene‐based and 3.07 eV for the carbazole‐based polymers. The amino‐functions allow to tie semiconducting CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) and to synthesize a series of composites with CdTe NCs. Moreover, tuning the emission color over a wide range by tying these CdTe NCs results in a facile preparation of organic–inorganic semiconductor composites with emission colors “à la carte.” © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

New liquid‐crystal alignment agents based on fluorinated polyimides with trifluoromethyl‐substituted benzene or diphenylether in the side chain

Fluorinated copolyimides derived from 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) with 4,4′‐oxydianline (ODA) and trifluoromethyl‐containing aromatic diamines have been synthesized and characterized. The trifluoromethyl‐containing diamines include 2,4‐diamino‐3′‐trifluoromethylazobenzene, 2,4‐diamino‐1‐[(4′‐trifluoromethylphenoxy) phenyl] aniline, 3,5‐diamino‐1‐[(4′‐trifluoromethylphenoxy) phenyl] benzamide, 3,5‐diamino‐1‐[(3′‐trifluoromethyl) phenyl] benzamide, 1,4‐bis(4′‐aminophenoxy)‐2‐(3′‐trifluoromethylphenyl) benzene, 3,5‐diaminobenzenetrifluoride, 4,4′‐diamino‐4″‐(p‐trifluoromethyl phenoxy) triphenylamine, and 4‐[(4′‐trifluoromethylphenoxy) phenyl]‐2,6‐bis(4″‐aminophenyl)pyridine. Strong and flexible copolyimide films, produced by casting the polyamic acid solution followed by thermal imidization, exhibited great thermal stability and high mechanical properties. The polyimides had an ultraviolet–visible absorption cutoff at 330–340 nm and pretilt angles as high as 20° for nematic liquid crystals, making them great potential candidates for advanced liquid‐crystal display applications. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1583–1593, 2002     

Substituent effects on electrochemical and electrochromic properties of aromatic polyimides with 4‐(carbazol‐9‐yl)triphenylamine moieties

Three series of aromatic polyimides with 4‐(carbazol‐9‐yl)triphenylamine moieties were prepared from the polycondensation reactions of 4,4′‐diamino‐4″‐(carbazol‐9‐yl) triphenylamine (1), 4,4′‐diamino‐4″‐(3,6‐di‐tert‐butylcarbazol‐9‐yl)triphenylamine (t‐Bu‐1), and 4,4′‐diamino‐4″‐(3,6‐dimethoxycarbazol‐9‐yl)triphenylamine (MeO‐1), respectively, with various commercially available tetracarboxylic dianhydrides. In addition to high thermal stability and good film‐forming ability, the resulting polyimides exhibited an ambipolar electrochromic behavior. The polyimides based on t‐Bu‐1 and MeO‐1 revealed higher redox‐stability and enhanced electrochromic performance than the corresponding ones based on 1 because the active sites of their carbazole units are blocked with bulky t‐butyl or electron‐donating methoxy groups. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1172–1184     

Synthesis of diallyl‐containing polyimide and the effect of allyl groups on properties

A diallyl‐containing bisphenol, 1,1‐bis(3‐allyl‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1‐(6‐oxido‐6H ‐dibenzo [c,e][1,2] oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl) ethane ( 1 ), was prepared by a two‐step procedure. Then, a diallyl‐containing diamine, 1,1‐bis(3‐allyl‐4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)‐phenyl)‐1‐(6‐oxido‐6H‐dibenzo [c,e][1,2] oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl)ethane ( 3 ), was prepared from the nucleophilic substitution of ( 1 ) with 4‐fluoronitrobenzene, followed by the reduction by Fe/HCl. A flexible polyimide ( 4 ) with curable diallyl linkages was prepared from the condensation of ( 3 ) and 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride in m‐cresol in the presence of isoquinoline. Curing polyimide ( 4 ) at 300 °C leads to thermosetting polyimide ( 5 ). We discussed the amounts of allyl group on T_g, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermal stability of thermosetting polyimides, and found that thermal properties and dimensional stability of thermosetting polyimides increase with the amounts of cured allyl moieties. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 513–520     

Pyrene‐functionalized oligofluorenes as non‐doped deep blue emitters for solution‐processed organic light‐emitting diodes

Two pyrene‐functionalized oligofluorenes (TPA‐PyF₃ and CBP‐PyF₃) are prepared using the condensation reaction by the Friedel–Crafts procedure. In the produced oligomers, the triphenylamine or N,N′‐dicarbazolyl‐4,4′‐biphenyl core serves as a spacer bearing spiro‐linked fluorene moieties to form a multi‐H shaped structure. This specific structure efficiently retards the crystallization tendency of the pyrene groups, and gives the materials completely amorphous morphological structure and film forming ability. Solution‐processed OLEDs with the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS (25 nm)/TPA‐PyF₃ or CBP‐PyF₃ (40 nm)/TPBI (35 nm)/Ca (10 nm)/Ag (100 nm) show low turn‐on voltages of 3.6 V, and the maximum external quantum efficiencies reach 1.78% and 2.07% for TPA‐PyF₃ and CBP‐PyF_3, respectively. Moreover, both devices exhibit stable deep‐blue light emission with Commission International de I'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of around (0.16, 0.09) at the brightness of 100–1000 cd m^?2. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 795–801     

Synthesis and property of polyoxazolidone having fluorene moiety by polyaddition of diisocyanate and diepoxide

Polyoxazolidones having fluorenyl group were synthesized by polyaddition of 9,9‐diglycidyl fluorene with various diisocyanates. The polymer from 9,9‐diglycidyl fluorene and methylenediphenyl 4,4′‐diisocyanate was afforded in high yield although polydispersity of the polymer was found relatively broad. The IR spectrum of the obtained polymer showed two absorption in carbonyl region. One of them was assigned to the expected oxazolidone, while the other at 1710 cm^?1 appeared due to a carbonyl group of the isocyanurate moieties produced by cyclotrimerization of isocyanate. It is assumed that the cyclotrimerization would cause the broad polydispersity caused by the branched structure formed by isocyanurate. The polymers obtained with three kinds of diisocyanates (methylenediphenyl 4,4'‐diisocyanate, 1,6‐hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4‐phenylene diisocyanate) showed high thermal stability, as their T_d10 was depended on the structure of diisocyanate. All polymers had high transparency in a visible region. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1755–1760     

Synthesis of heterocyclic monomers via Reissert chemistry

The chemistry of Reissert compounds has been used to synthesize activated difluorotetraketone monomers containing two coupled isoquinolyl moieties, linked at either the 1,1′‐ or 4,4′‐positions. These monomers offer routes to novel families of poly(heteroarylene ether)s. New 4,4′‐coupled bis(Reissert compound) 9 containing 4,4′‐diketo moieties failed to afford the desired difluorotetraketo monomer upon attempted rearrangement. However, analogous bis(Reissert compound) 19 containing 4,4′‐dibenzyl units did so, via aldehyde condensation, hydrolysis of the intermediate ester and oxidation of the four benzylic moieties to keto groups; thus the novel difluorotetraketone monomer 10 was prepared. Novel bis(Reissert compound)s 24 , 28 , and 35 were synthesized from diacid chlorides and 4‐(p‐fluorobenzyl)isoquinoline. Rearrangement of 24 to the diketone 29 , followed by oxidation of the 4‐benzyl moieties resulted in difluorotetraketone monomer 30 containing a 1,1′‐linked bisisoquinoline. The 1,1′‐linked bis(isoquinolylfluorodiketo) monomer 38 , isomeric with 10 , was prepared from 4‐(p‐fluorobenzyl) Reissert compound 36 by condensation with terephthaldehyde, ester hydrolysis to diol 37 , and oxidation. In the course of this effort, a number of new isoquinoline Reissert compounds were synthesized as model systems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3856–3867, 2010     

Preparation of novel,high‐modulus,swollen‐ or jungle‐gym‐type polyimide gels end‐crosslinked with 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenyl)benzene

A novel preparation approach for high‐performance polyimide gels that are swollen or have a jungle‐gym‐type structure is proposed. A new rigid and symmetric trifunctional amine, 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB), was synthesized as a crosslinker. Three different kinds of amic acid oligomers derived from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA), p‐phenylenediamine (PDA), and 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) were end‐crosslinked with TAPB at a high temperature to make polyimide networks with different structures. Transparent polyimide gels were obtained from the ODPA–ODA/TAPB series with high compression moduli of about 1 MPa at their equilibrium swollen states in N‐methylpyrrolidone. Microscopic phase separation occurred during the gelation–imidization process when polyimide networks were generated from PMDA–PDA/TAPB and PMDA–ODA/TAPB. After these opaque polyimide networks were dried, a jungle‐gym‐like structure was obtained for the PMDA–PDA/TAPB and PMDA–ODA/TAPB series; that is, there was a high void content inside the networks (up to 70%) and little volume shrinkage. These polyimide networks did not expand but absorbed the solvent and showed moduli as high as those of solids. Therefore, using the highly rigid crosslinker TAPB combined with the flexible monomers ODPA and ODA and the rigid monomers PMDA and PDA, we prepared swollen, high‐performance polyimide gels and jungle‐gym‐type polyimide networks, respectively. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2501–2512, 2002     

Study on side‐chain second‐order nonlinear optical polyimides based on novel chromophore‐containing diamines. II. Copolyimides possessing direct photolithographic features

Second‐order nonlinear optical copolyimides were prepared from a novel chromophore‐containing diamine, 4‐nitro‐4′‐[N‐(4,6‐di‐4‐aminophenylamino)‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐yl]aminoazobenzene, a codiamine, 4,4′‐diamino‐3,3′‐dimethyldiphenylmethane, and benzophenone‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride by a traditional two‐step process, which includes a solution polycondensation followed by a chemical imidization. Some of the polyimides (PIs) obtained possessed direct photolithographic features, and good photolithographic patterns were easily obtained. All PIs exhibited high‐glass transition temperatures (235–246 °C) and high thermal‐decomposition temperatures. They were also soluble in strong polar aprotic solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and γ‐butyrolactone. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1419–1425, 2001     

Syntheses and properties of organosoluble polyimides based on 5,5′‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐4, 7‐methanohexahydroindan

A series of organosoluble aromatic polyimides (PIs) was synthesized from 5,5′‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐4,7‐methanohexahydroindan (3) and commercial available aromatic dianhydrides such as 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA), 4,4′‐sulfonyl diphthalic anhydride (SDPA), or 2,2′‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropanic dianhydride (6FDA). PIs (III_c–f), which were synthesized by direct polymerization in m‐cresol, had inherent viscosities of 0.83–1.05 dL/g. These polymers could easily be dissolved in N,N′‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), pyridine, m‐cresol, and dichloromethane. Whereas copolymerization was proceeded with equivalent molar ratios of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA)/6FDA, 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA)/6FDA, or BTDA/SDPA, or ½ for PMDA/SDPA, copolyimides (co‐PIs), derived from 3 and mixed dianhydrides, were soluble in NMP. All the soluble PIs could form transparent, flexible, and tough films, and they showed amorphous characteristics. These films had tensile strengths of 88–111 MPa, elongations at break of 5–10% and initial moduli of 2.01–2.67 GPa. The glass transition temperatures of these polymers were in the range of 252–311°C. Except for III_e, the 10% weight loss temperatures (T_d) of PIs were above 500°C, and the amount of carbonized residues of the PIs at 800°C in nitrogen atmosphere were above 50%. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1681–1691, 1999     

Comparative study on polyimides from isomeric 3,3′‐, 3,4′‐, and 4,4′‐linked bis(thioether anhydride)s

Three isomeric bis(thioether anhydride) monomers, 4,4′‐bis(2,3‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (3,3′‐PTPKDA), 4,4′‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (4,4′‐PTPKDA), and 4‐(2,3‐dicarboxyphenylthio)‐4′‐(3,4‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (3,4′‐PTPKDA), were prepared through multistep reactions. Their structures were determined via Fourier transform infrared, NMR, and elemental analysis. Three series of polyimides (PIs) were prepared from the obtained isomeric dianhydrides and aromatic diamines in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) via the conventional two‐step method. The PIs showed excellent solubility in common organic solvents such as chloroform, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and NMP. Their glass‐transition temperatures decreased according to the order of PIs on the basis of 3,3′‐PTPKDA, 3,4′‐PTPKDA, and 4,4′‐PTPKDA. The 5% weight loss temperatures (T_5%) of all PIs in nitrogen were observed at 504–519 °C. The rheological properties of isomeric PI resins based on 3,3′‐PTPKDA/4,4′‐oxydianiline/phthalic anhydride showed lower complex viscosity and better melt stability compared with the corresponding isomers from 4,4′‐ and 3,4′‐PTPKDA. In addition, the PI films based on three isomeric dianhydrides and 2,2′‐bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine had a low moisture absorption of 0.27–0.35%. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Improvement of thermoplasticity for s‐BPDA/PDA by copolymerization and blend with novel asymmetric BPDA‐based polyimides

Asymmetric biphenyl type polyimides (PI) derived from 2,3,3′,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (a‐BPDA) and p‐phenylenediamine (PDA) or 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) show higher T_gs, and much better thermoplasticity than the corresponding isomeric PIs from symmetric 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (s‐BPDA). In addition, a‐BPDA‐derived PIs are completely amorphous owing to their bent chain structures and highly distorted conformations, whereas the PIs from s‐BPDA are semicrystalline. a‐BPDA‐derived PIs possessing these properties or the a‐BPDA monomer were used as a flexible blend component or a comonomer to improve the insufficient thermoplasticity of semirigid s‐BPDA/PDA homo polymer. The blends composed of s‐BPDA/PDA (80%) with a‐BPDA‐derived PIs (20%), as well as the s‐BPDA/PDA‐based copolymer containing 20% a‐BPDA, showed a certain extent of thermoplasticity above the T_gs without causing a decrease in T_g. In addition, these blends and copolymer provided comparatively low thermal expansion coefficient (ca. 18 ppm). The improved film properties for the blends are related to good blend miscibility. On the other hand, when s‐BPDA/ODA was used as a flexible matrix polymer instead of a‐BPDA‐derived PIs, the 80/20 blend film annealed at 400°C exhibited no prominent softening at the T_g. This result arises from annealing‐induced crystallization of the flexible s‐BPDA/ODA component. Thus, these results revealed that a‐BPDA‐derived PIs are promising candidates as matrix polymers for semirigid s‐BPDA/PDA for the present purpose. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2499–2511, 1999     

Amorphous copolyesters based on bibenzoic acids and neopentyl glycol

High T_g amorphous copolyester thermoplastics were synthesized by incorporating 4,4′‐bibenzoate (4,4′BB) and 3,4′‐bibenzoate moieties into the polyester backbone via melt polycondensation. The high levels of crystallinity typically associated with 4,4′BB containing polyesters were suppressed through copolymerization of ethylene glycol, 1,4‐cyclohexane dimethanol, and neopentyl glycol (NPG) diols. NPG was shown to be highly effective in suppressing crystallization and was used to produce amorphous compositions with T_g’s as high as 129 °C. Diol ratios were determined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and molecular weights were assessed with inherent viscosity (η_inh). Thermogravimetric analysis showed single‐step weight losses in the range of 395 – 419 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to determine melting points and glass transition temperatures over a wide range of copolyester compositions and identified amorphous compositions. Dynamic mechanical analysis confirmed T_g’s and was used to study β‐relaxations below the T_g. Rheological analysis revealed the effect of NPG structures on shear thinning and thermal stability. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 579–587     

Polyimides from isomeric oxydiphthalic anhydrides

2,2′,3,3′‐Oxydiphthalic dianhydride (2,2′,3,3′‐ODPA) and 2,3,3′,4′‐ODPA were synthesized from 3‐chlorophthalic anhydride with 2,3‐xylenol and 3,4‐xylenol, respectively. Their structures were determined via single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. A series of polyimides derived from isomeric ODPAs with several diamines were prepared in dimethylacetamide (DMAc) with the conventional two‐step method. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight spectra showed that the polymerization of 2,2′,3,3′‐ODPA with 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) has a greater trend to form cyclic oligomers than that of 2,3,3′,4′‐ODPA. Both 2,2′,3,3′‐ODPA and 2,3,3′,4′‐ODPA based polyimides have good solubility in polar aprotic solvents such as DMAc, dimethylformamide, and N‐methylpyrrolidone. The 5% weight‐loss temperatures of all polyimides were obtained near 500 °C in air. Their glass‐transition temperatures measured by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis or differential scanning calorimetry decreased according to the order of polyimides on the basis of 2,2′,3,3′‐ODPA, 2,3,3′,4′‐ODPA, and 3,3′,4,4′‐ODPA. The wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction of all polyimide films from isomeric ODPAs and ODA showed some certain extent of crystallization after stretching. Rheological properties revealed that polyimide (2,3,3′,4′‐ODPA/ODA) has a comparatively lower melt viscosity than its isomers, which indicated its better melt processability. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3249–3260, 2003     

Hydrazine‐based polyimides from isomeric bis(chlorophthalimide)s

3,3′‐Dichloro‐N,N′‐biphthalimide (3,3′‐DCBPI), 3,4′‐dichloro‐N,N′‐biphthalimide (3,4′‐DCBPI), and 4,4′‐dichloro‐N,N′‐biphthalimide (4,4′‐DCBPI) were synthesized from 3‐ or 4‐chlorophthalic anhydrides and hydrazine in glacial acetic acid. The yield of 3,3′‐DCBPI (90%) was much higher than that of 4,4′‐DCBPI (33%) because of the better stability of the intermediate, 3‐chloro‐N‐aminophthalimide, and 3,3′‐DCBPI. A series of hydrazine‐based polyimides were prepared from isomeric DCBPIs and 4,4′‐thiobisbenzenethiol (TBBT) in N,N‐dimethylacetamide in the presence of tributylamine. Inherent viscosity of these polymers was in the range of 0.51–0.69 dL/g in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (NMP) at 30 °C. These polyimides were soluble in 1,1,2,2‐terachloroethane, NMP, and phenols. The 5% weight‐loss temperatures (T_5%s) of the polymers were near 450 °C in N₂. Their glass‐transition temperatures (T_gs) determined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry increased according to the order of polyimides based on 4,4′‐DCBPI, 3,4′‐DCBPI, and 3,3′‐DCBPI. The hydrolytic stability of these polymers was measured under acid, basic, and neutral conditions and the results indicated that the order was 3,3′‐DCBPI/TBBT > 3,4′‐DCBPI/TBBT > 4,4′‐DCBPI/TBBT. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4933–4940, 2007