Synthesis and properties of new fluorinated polyarylates derived from 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane and aromatic diacid chlorides

A new series of fluorine-containing polyarylates were synthesized by interfacial or high-temperature solution polymerization of 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with six aromatic diacyl chlorides. These polyarylates had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.47 to 1.37 dl/g that corresponded to weight-average and number-average molecular weights (by gel permeation chromatography) of 35,800-72,400 and 30,700-67,700, respectively. All polymers were highly soluble in a variety of solvents, and could afford tough, transparent, and colorless films via solution casting. The glass-transition temperatures of the polymers ranged from 209 to 271 °C. All of them did not show significant decomposition below 450 °C in both nitrogen and air atmospheres.