Liquid-crystalline polyimides, 16. Chiral thermotropic copoly(ester-imide)s based on isosorbide and N-(4-carboxyphenyl)trimellitimide

A series of chiral copoly(ester-imide)s was prepared by polycondensation of N-(4-carboxy-phenyl)trimellitimide with mixtures of isosorbide and phenylhydroquinone. All copolyesters are non-crystalline. They form a cholesteric melt, when containing more than 50 mol-% of phenyl-hydroquinone. Containing 5 or 10 mol-% of isosorbide a “Grand-Jean” texture is detected above 300°C and 350°C, respectively.     

Lyotropic para-linked aromatic poly(amic ethyl ester)s

The synthesis, characterization and application of lyotropic precursor polymers for polyimides, poly(amic ethyl ester)s (PAE) are presented. By the use of non-coplanar and para-linked monomers, rigid-rod PAEs are synthesized in a typical polycondensation reaction yielding liquid crystalline solutions at concentrations of 30-40 wt% in NMP at 100°C. These lyotropic solutions permit for the first time the fabrication of orientation PAE layers by shear which are thermally converted to the corresponding polyimide. The bulk orientation in the thin films is characterized by spectroscopic methods. In addition the lyotropic solution is spun into fibers in a dry-jet wet spinning process. The obtained fiber orientation is characterized by tensile tests and wide angle X-ray scattering.     

Water-Soluble imide-amide copolymers. III. Preparation and characterization of poly (acrylamide-co-N,N-diallylaniline) and poly (acrylamide-co-sodium N,N-diallylsulfanilate)

N,N-diallylaniline monomer was prepared in good yields, for use in preparation of homopolymer and for copolymerization with acrylamide. Functionalized N,N-diallylaniline monomer, as sodium N,N-diallylsulfanilate, was also prepared in good yields for copolymerization with acrylamide. Both monomers were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and NMR. Poly (N,N-diallylaniline) was obtained by polymerization of a strongly acidic aqueous solution of N,N-diallylaniline initiated with hydrogen peroxide. Spectroscopic data from this homopolymer was used to facilitate spectral assignments of the new copolymers. Copolymers of acrylamide with N,N-diallylamine were prepared at monomer feed ratios of 10, 20, and 30 mol % amine and gave 3.5, 7.4, and 8.9 mol % incorporation, respectively. Similar diallyl monomer incorporation rates were obtained for the copolymerization of sodium N,N-diallylsulfanilate with acrylamide. With 10, 30, and 50 mol % of the sodium salt relative to acrylamide, 3.9, 8.4, and 19.2 mol % incorporation of the diallyl monomer was obtained.     

LC polyimides. XXI. Thermotropic poly(amide-imide)s based on trimellitimides

Polycondensation of α, ω-bis(-4-aminophenoxy) alkanes with trimellitic anhydride chloride (TMA-Cl) in m-cresol yielded a new class of poly(amideimide)s. Starting from the same diamine spacers poly(amideimides) with a more regular sequence of amide and imide groups were prepared by another synthetic method. All these poly(amide-imide)s are semi-crystalline and melt in the range of 250–300°C. They form a smectic-A phase over a narrow temperature range and suffer thermal degradation at the isotropization temperature (330–350°C). The smectic-A phase was characterized by optical microscopy (“batonnet texture”) and by synchrotron radiation measurements conducted at a heating rate of 20°C. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that slight variation of the chemical structure, such as methyl substituents or meta positions in the spacer prevent the formation of a LC phase. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Liquid-crystalline copolyesters based on poly(p-oxybenzoate) and poly(p,p-biphenylene terephthalate)

Two copolymers composed of p-hydroxybenzoate (PHB) and biphenylene terephthalate (BPT) with PHB/BPT ratios of 1/2 and 2/1 were characterized with respect to their tendency to exhibit liquid-crystalline behavior in the melt phase. The BPT -rich copolyester, PHB/BPT = 1/2, displayed a birefringent melt phase of very high viscosity and no tendency to crystallize on cooling. The resulting fused material exhibited what apeared to be a second-order transition at 170°C. The PHB-rich composition, PHB/BPT = 2/1, also exhibited a highly birefringent melt phase of high viscosity which was quite shear sensitive. This polymer melt had little tendency to crystallize on cooling; however, on reheating no apparent second-order transition could be detected. The observed phase changes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, hot-stage microscopy, and wide-angle x-ray diffraction techniques. Additional data, pertaining to the compositional nature and apparent sequence distribution, were obtained by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of the solid materials through magic-angle spinning, dipolar decoupling, and cross-polarization techniques.     

Liquid-crystalline side chain polymers by chemical modification of poly(chloroalkylvinylether)s

The synthesis of polyalkylvinylethers with pendant 4-cyano-4'-oxybiphenyl groups gives thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymers. The new method developed here consists of the living cationic polymerization of chloroalkylvinylethers and the subsequent modification of the polymer by the mesogenic groups. The liquid-crystalline polymers have a controlled degree of polymerisation and narrow molecular weight distributions. The influence on the mesomorphic properties of various parameters such as the degree of polymerization, the spacer length and the proportion of the mesogenic side chain content has been investigated. Binary phase diagrams with low molar mass analogues are also reported and the properties of both neat materials and binary mixtures are compared.     

Water-Soluble imide-amide copolymers. II. Preparation and characterization of poly (acrylamide-co-p-maleimidobenzoic acid)

The comonomer required, p-maleimidobenzoic acid (MBA) was first prepared in good yield by refinements of published methods. p-Carboxysuccinanilic acid (CSA), and p-succinimidobenzoic acid (SBA), were also prepared to provide models useful for IR and NMR for spectroscopic assignments of the new copolymers. Polymerization of MBA with acrylamide in glacial acetic acid at 60°C gave copolymers with estimated viscosity average molecular weights of 60,000 to 90,000. Yields and viscosity average molecular weights decreased as the MBA to acrylamide monomer feed ratio was increased. The rate of incorporation of MBA into the copolymer rose from 7 to 23% when the mole ratio in the feed was raised from 5 to 20%. Decreasing the initiator concentration increased molecular weights by less than predicted and reduced the yield of copolymer for any given feed ratio of MBA to acrylamide. In all cases about 30–40% of the MBA units in the purified copolymers were hydrolyzed. A change to dimethyl sulfoxide solvent gave good, and poor yields of copolymer at 5 and 10 mol % MBA, respectively, and no copolymer at 20 mol % MBA. Viscosity average molecular weights of the copolymer products prepared in DMSO were somewhat lower than obtained for the copolymers prepared in acetic acid. Polymerization in a DMSO-water mixture gave a negligible yield of polymeric product. Instead, only hydrolysates of MBA precipitated when the coloured polymerization solutions were added to methanol.     

LC polyimides. XXVII. Cholesteric poly(ester-imide)s derived from chiral i-pentyloxyterephthalic acids

(S)-Pentyloxyterephthalic acid was prepared by alkylation of dimethyl trimethylsiloxyterephthalate with (S)-2-methylbutan-1-ol tosylate. (S,S)-2,5-bis-i-pentyloxyterephthalic acid was prepared analogously by alkylation of diethyl-2,5-bis(trimethylsiloxy)terephthalate. A series of cholesteric poly(ester-imide)s was synthesized from (S)-pentyloxyterephthalic acid and N-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-4-hydroxyphthalimide. 2-(4'-Chlorophenoxy)terephthalic acid was used as comonomer. The 1 : 1 copolyester of both terephthalic acids forms a Grandjean texture in the shearing of the cholesteric melt. A second series of cholesteric poly(ester-imide)s was prepared from (S,S)-2,5-bispentyloxyterephthalic acid and the aforementioned imide diphenol. In this case 2,5-bis(dodecyloxy)terephthalic acid was used as comonomer to lower the melting point. The cholesteric phases of the resulting copoly(ester-imide)s did not form a Grandjean texture. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and properties of polyimides,polyamides and poly(amide-imide)s from ether diamine having the spirobichroman structure

A novel spirobichroman unit containing dietheramine, 6,6′-bis(4-aminophenoxy)-4,4,4′,4′,7,7′-hexamethyl-2,2′-spirobichroman ( 3 ), was prepared by the nucleophilic substitution of 6,6′-dihydroxy-4,4,4′,4′,7,7′-hexamethyl-2,2′-spirobichroman with p-chloronitrobenzene in the presence of K₂CO₃ followed by hydrazine catalytic reduction of the intermediate dinitro compound. A series of polyimides were synthesized from diamine 3 and various aromatic dianhydrides by a conventional two-stage procedure through the formation of poly(amic-acid)s followed by thermal imidization. The intermediate poly(amic-acid)s had inherent viscosities of 1.00–2.78 dL/g. All the poly-(amic-acid)s could be thermally cyclodehydrated into flexible and tough polyimide films, and some polyimides were soluble in polar solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). These polyimides had glass transition temperatures (T_g) in the range of 236–256°C, and 10% weight loss occurred up to 450°C. Furthermore, a series of polyamides and poly(amide-imide)s with inherent viscosities of 0.71–2.29 dL/g were prepared by direct polycondensation of the diamine 3 with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids and imide ring-containing dicarboxylic acids by means of triphenyl phosphite and pyridine. All the polyamides and poly(amide-imide)s were readily soluble in polar solvents such as DMAc, and tough and flexible films could be cast from their DMAc solutions. These polymers had glass transition temperatures in the range of 137–228°C and 10% weight loss temperatures in the range of 419–443°C in air and 404–436°C in nitrogen, respectively. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1487–1497, 1997     

Water-Soluble imide-amide copolymers. I. Preparation and characterization of poly [acrylamide-co-sodium N-(4-sulfophenyl) maleimide]

Sodium N-(4-sulfophenyl) maleimide (SPMI) and its saturated succinimide counterpart were first prepared according to established methods. Hydrolysis experiments on these monomers monitored by ¹H-NMR showed that although SPMI monomer was about 15% hydrolyzed in D₂O at 23°C in 24 h. Sodium N-(4-sulfophenyl) succinimide, which is similar in structure to the imide units in the copolymers, was only 1% hydrolyzed after 18 days at 23°C and 29% hydrolyzed after 18 days at 60°C. This indicated that the saturated imide rings in the copolymer might be sufficiently stable to hydrolysis for the copolymers to be useful. However, hydrolysis at high pH demonstrated that the imide rings would be rapidly saponified under alkaline conditions, destroying the structural rigidity that the intact rings might have provided in the copolymer chains. Sodium N-(4-sulfophenyl) maleimide (SPMI) was copolymerized with acrylamide in water at 30°C without cleavage of the imide ring. Water-soluble poly [acrylamide-co-sodium-N-(4-sulfophenyl) maleimide] (PAMSM) samples containing from 7.4 to 64 mol % imide were prepared. Photoacoustic FTIR and ¹³C-NMR spectra were used to confirm the structure of the copolymers obtained. Elemental analysis was used to determine the imide content of the copolymers, and from this composition data reactivity ratios were calculated for the two component monomers.     

New processable poly(ether-keto-sulfone)s,poly(arylene sulfone)s,and polyesters curable by intramolecular cyclization. XVII

New processable polyaromatic ether-keto-sulfones were prepared from 2,2′-diiododiphenyl-4,4′-dicarbonyl dichloride (I), bis(p-phenoxybenzene)sulfone (V), isophthaloyl chloride (VI), terephthaloyl chloride (VII), and diphenylether (IX) in Friedel-Crafts-type polymerizations. By varying (VI):(VII) ratio and (V):(IX) ratio and by reducing the polymerization time, soluble, processable polymers were obtained. In these polymers, phenylacetylenyl groups were introduced by replacing the iodine. This process led to soluble and curable polymers. Transparent, tough films and fairly flexible glass fiber laminates can readily be prepared. After curing, the polymers were insoluble and showed excellent chemical and thermal resistance. The curing process increased the polymers' softening temperature by ca. 20°C and produced intersting new useful materials for laminates. Processable poly(arylene sulfone)s were prepared from I, V, and diphenylether-4,4′-disulfonylchloride (X) in a Friedel-Crafts-type polymerization. Different monomer ratios and polymerization times were used. Only low-molecular-weight polymers were obtained. The same result was shown by curable polyester formation from I, VI, VII, and 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol (XI) in an interfacial polycondensation.     

Poly(arylene ether)s,poly(arylene thioether)s,and poly(arylene sulfone)s derived from a dihydroxy(imidoarylene) monomer

Novel poly(arylene ether)s, poly(arylene thioether)s, and poly(arylene sulfone)s were synthesized from the dihydroxy(imidoarylene) monomer 1 . The syntheses of poly(arylene ether)s were carried out in DMAc in the presence of anhydrous K₂CO₃ by a nucleophilic substitution reaction between the bisphenol and activated difluoro compounds. Poly(arylene thioether)s were synthesized according to the recently discovered one-pot polymerization reaction between a bis(N,N′-dimethyl-S-carbamate) and activated difluoro compounds in the presence of a mixture of Cs₂CO₃ and CaCO₃. The bis(N,N′-dimethyl-S-carbamate) 3 was synthesized by the thermal rearrangement reaction of bis(N,N′-dimethylthiocarbamate) 2 , which was synthesized from 1 by a phase-transfer catalyzed reaction. The poly(arylene thioether)s were further oxidized to form poly(arylene sulfone)s, which would be very difficult, if not impossible, to synthesize by other methods. All of the polymers described have extremely high T_gs and thermal stability as determined from DSC and TGA analysis. Poly(arylene sulfone)s have the highest T_gs and they are in the range of 298–361°C. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1201–1208, 1998     

Synthesis and characterization of soluble,fluorescent poly(arylene ether)s,poly(arylene thioether)s,and poly(arylene sulfone)s containing 1,3,5‐triphenylbenzene segments

The bisphenol 4,4″‐dihydroxy‐5′‐phenyl‐m‐terphenyl ( 4 ), containing a 1,3,5‐triphenylbenzene moiety, was synthesized from a pyrylium salt obtained by the reaction of benzaldehyde with p‐methoxyacetophenone with boron trifluoride etherate as a condensing agent. Polymers were obtained from 4 by a nucleophilic displacement reaction with various activated difluoro monomers and with K₂CO₃ as a base. A series of new poly(arylene ether)s ( 8a – 8f ) were obtained that contained phenyl‐substituted m‐terphenyl segments in the polymer chain. Polymers with inherent viscosities of 0.41–0.99 dL/g were obtained in yields greater than 96%. The polymers were soluble in a variety of organic solvents, including nonpolar solvents such as toluene. Clear, transparent, and flexible films cast from CHCl₃ showed high glass‐transition temperatures (T_g = 198–270 °C) and had excellent thermal stability, as shown by temperatures of 5% weight loss greater than 500 °C. 4 was converted via N,N‐dimethyl‐O‐thiocarbamate into the masked dithiol 4,4″‐bis(N,N′‐dimethyl‐S‐thiocarbamate)‐5′‐phenyl‐m‐terphenyl and was polymerized with activated difluoro compounds in the presence of a mixture of Cs₂CO₃ and CaCO₃ as a base in diphenyl sulfone as a solvent. A series of new poly(arylene thioether)s ( 9a – 9e ) were obtained with T_g values similar to those of 8a – 8e . 9a – 9e were further oxidized into poly(arylene sulfone)s with T_g values 40–80 °C higher than those for 8a – 8e and 9a – 9e . These polymers also had good solubility in organic solvents. A sulfonic acid group was selectively introduced onto the pendent phenyl group of polymers 8a and 8f by reaction with chlorosulfonic acid. The polymers were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents and formed films via casting from dimethylformamide. Polymers 8a – 8f , 11a , and 11f showed blue and red fluorescence under ultraviolet–visible light with emission maxima at 380–440 nm. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 496–510, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10136     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of poly(bromoalkoxy- and bromoalkanoyloxymethylsiloxane)s from poly(hydromethylsiloxane)s

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of poly(bromoalkoxymethyl- and bromoalkanoyloxymethylsiloxane)s from poly(hydromethylsiloxane)s was studied. Treatment of poly(hydromethylsiloxane)s with mixtures of allyl bromide and cyclic ethers in the presence of a catalytic amount of PdCl₂ gave the corresponding poly[(bromoalkoxy)methylsiloxane]s in good yield. A similar reaction with γ-butyrolactone produced poly[(bromobutanoyloxy)methylsiloxane], although the polymer was highly moisture-sensitive and could not be separated from the reaction mixture. Transformation of the bromoalkoxy unit in the resulting siloxane polymer into an aminoalkoxy group was also examined.     

Synthesis of hydrogen-terminated aliphatic bis(ethynyl ketone)s and aliphatic poly(enamine-ketone)s and poly(enonesulfide)s

Hydrogen-terminated aliphatic bis(ethynyl ketone)s (H-ABEKs): 1,9-decadiyne-3,8-dione ( 3a ) and 1,13-tetradecadiyne-3,12-dione ( 3b ) were prepared by the Friedel-Crafts reaction of bis(trimethylsilyl) acetylene (BTMSA) with adipoyl chloride and sebacoyl chloride, followed by desilylation with an aqueous buffer solution. Aliphatic poly(enamine-ketone)s (APEKs) and aliphatic poly(enonesulfide)s (APESs) were prepared in nearly quantitative yield by the nucleophilic addition polymerization of 3a,b with various diamines and dithiols in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and m-cresol at room temperature during 14-22 h. Aromatic diamines and dithiols gave polymers that were soluble only in m-cresol. Primary diamines gave exclusively APEKs with the cis (Z) configuration. Dithiols gave APESs which contained more cis (Z) than trans (E) configurations. The inherent viscosities (η_inh) of the APEKs ranged from 0.05 to 0.73 dL/g. The APESs gave η_inh ranging from 0.36 to 2.21 dL/g.     

Liquid-crystalline structure of poly(L-lysine) containing azobenzene units in the side chain

The structure of poly(L -lysine) containing 44% azobenzene units in the side chain was studied by X-ray diffraction between room temperature and 150°C. The polymer exhibits a mesomorphic structure of the smectic A1 type. In this structure, stable at least until 150°C, each smectic layer of thickness d results from the superposition of two layers: one of thickness d_A contains the free lysine side chains, the other of thickness d_B contains the azobenzene modified lysine side chains and the polypeptide main chains, that in their planes are arranged as in the “antiparallel” β-structure classical for polypeptides.