Preparation of polyaryl esters by a new direct polycondensation reaction with arylsulfonyl chlorides in pyridine

Arylsulfonyl chlorides were successfully used as a new condensing agent for the synthesis of polyaryl esters by the direct polycondensation of aromatic dicarboxylic acids and bisphenols. High-molecular-weight polymers (M_w = 84,000) were prepared by reacting dicarboxylic acids with the sulfonyl chlorides in pyridine in the presence of LiCI, followed by treating with a pyridine solution of bisphenols. The polycondensation was significantly affected by factors, such as, the kind of arylsulfonyl chlorides, its amount, the conditions of initial reaction of the acids with the sulfonyl chlorides, the amounts of LiCI added, and dropwise addition of bisphenols.