Pendant cyclodicarbaphosphazatriene-containing monomers and polymers: synthesis,crystal structures and polymerization behavior of [NC(NMe2)]2[NP(O-C6H4-p-C6H4-p-CH=CH2)(X)], X = Cl,OCH2CF3, OC6H5, OC6H4-m-CH3, OC6H4-p-Br

The reaction of the dicarbaphosphazene, NC(NMe(2))](2)NPCl(2)] (2), with the sodium salt of 4-hydroxy-4'-vinylbiphenyl afforded the vinyl group containing monomer NC(NMe(2))](2)NP(Cl)(O-C(6)H(4)-p-C(6)H(4)-p-CH=CH(2))] (3). Replacement of the lone chlorine atom of 3 by oxygen nucleophiles gave NC(NMe(2))](2)NP(OR)(O-C(6)H(4)-p-C(6)H(4)-p-CH=CH(2))] R = CH(2)CF(3) (4); C(6)H(5) (5); C(6)H(4)-m-CH(3) (6); C(6)H(4)-p-Br(7)]. The X-ray crystal structures of 3-7 reveal that all the cyclodicarbaphosphazenes have a planar N(3)PC(2) ring; the ring carbons are completely planar, while the geometry around phosphorus is pseudotetrahedral. The presence of weak intermolecular hydrogen bonding C-H---X(Cl or Br), C-H---N, or C-H---pi] interactions in 3-7 leads to the formation of polymeric architectures in the solid-state. The monomers 4-7 can be polymerized by a free-radical initiator to afford the corresponding air-stable homopolymers 8-11. These have moderate molecular weights with polydispersity indices ranging from 1.33 to 1.58. All of these polymers have high glass transition temperatures and have excellent thermal stability.