SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMERS DERIVED FROM THE COPOLYMERIZATION OF 1,1-'-DIHYDROXYETHYL-2,2'-BIIMIDAZOLE AND THE DIGLYCIDYL ETHER OF BISPHENOL-A

1,1′-Dihydroxyethyl-2,2′-biimidazole has been used as a copolymerizing monomer with the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A in the preparation of biimidazole-containing epoxy polymers. Polymerization reactions were studied in bulk, with and without catalyst, and in N,N-dimethylformamide and anisole solvents, with and without catalyst. FT-IR and NMR spectra, molecular weight, thermal and solubility characteristics were obtained. Polymers isolated as amorphous light brown solids were found to be only sparingly soluble in THF or in highly polar nitrogen-containing solvents (DMF, NMP, pyridine). These materials exhibited molecular weights up to 37,000 for SnCl4-catalyzed polymerization carried out in DMF.