New telechelic polymers and sequential copolymers by polyfunctional initiator-transfer agents (inifers). XXX. Synthesis and quantitative terminal functionalization of α,ω-diarylpolyisobutylenes

Novel aromatic-telechelic polyisobutylenes were prepared and characterized: α,ω-diphenylpolyisobutylene, α-phenyl-ω-tolylpolyisobutylene, and α,ωditolylpolyisobutylene. The syntheses involved the preparation of asymmetric telechelic prepolymers (α-phenyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene and α-tolyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene) by the minifer method and quantitative alkylation of benzene and toluene by the prepolymer. The terminal aromatic rings of these telechelic polyisobutylenes were quantitatively nitrated, acetylated, and chlorosulfonated and a series of further novel telechelic products was obtained. Characterization of these derivatives provided additional proof for the telechelic structure of the starting prepolymers. The quantitative reduction of nitroaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene by SnCl₂/HCl led to aminoaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene which was used to cure bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether. These new flexible epoxy networks exhibited outstanding heat and hydrolytic stability combined with satisfactory mechanical properties.