| Abstract: | A new class of polyheterocycles, polybenzodipyrrolediones (PBP), has been synthesized successfully by the two-step polymerization of dibenzylidenebenzodifurandiones with aliphatic diamines. New bislactone monomers, 3,5-dibenzylidene-3,5-dihydro-1H,7H-benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c′]difuran-1,7-dione and 3,7-dibenzylidene-3,7-dihydro-1H,5H-benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c′]-difuran-1,5-dione, were synthesized from pyromellitic dianhydride and phenylacetic acid. The ring-opening polyaddition reaction of the bislactones with aliphatic diamines in a polar solvent afforded novel polyamides having inherent viscosities of 0.1–1.0 in quantitative yield. The solution polymerization was almost completed within several hours at 80°C, while it required approximately a week to its completion at room temperature. Dimethyl sulfoxide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone were preferred solvents for the polymerization. The open-chain polyamides were subsequently cyclodehydrated by heating at 240°C to give PBP having high molecular weight. The aliphatic PBP were soluble in hot polar solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, m-cresol, and nitrobenzene. They began to decompose at about 400°C in a nitrogen atmosphere as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. |
