Preparation of sulfonyl aromatic polyamides and copolyamides by means of di- or triphenyl phosphite

High molecular-weight aromatic polyamides were obtained by the direct polycondensation reaction of 4,4′-sulfonyldibenzoic acid (SDA) with various aromatic diamines, by means of di- (DPP) or triphenyl phosphite (TPP) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)-pyridine solution containing metal salts such as LiCl and CaCl₂. The factors affecting the phosphorylation reaction were investigated, in particular for the reaction of SDA and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA). For the polymerization by means of TPP, the optimum conditions are: molar ratio of TPP to diacid, higher than 2.3; concentration of metal salts, 8 wt % LiCl or 6 wt % CaCl₂; reaction temperature, 100°C; and monomer concentration, 0.4 mol/L. For the polymerization by means of DPP, the optimum conditions are: molar ratio of DPP to diacid, higher than 3.8; concentration of metal salts of 8 wt % LiCl or 10 wt % CaCl₂; reaction temperature, 110°C; and monomer concentration, 0.4 mol/L. Copolyamides were also prepared from the reaction of ODA with the mixed diacids of SDA and other dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid by using TPP and DPP as the condensing agents.