The preparation and characterization of novel cocylic(arylene disulfide) oligomers

A series of homo- and cocyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers were synthesized under high dilution conditions by the catalytic oxidation of arylenedithiols with oxygen in the presence of a copper-amine catalyst in DMAc. The aryl groups contained moieties such as sulfone, ether, and ketone. The free radical ring-opening polymerization of these cyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers led to the formation of linear poly(thio arylene)s. The homo- and cocyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers were characterized by gradient high pressure liquid chromatograph (HPLC), get permeation chromatography (GPC), H-1-NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) methods. These cocyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers except those containing sulfone moiety had lower melt flow temperature as low as 140degreesC and therefore could readily undergo free radical ring-opening polymerization under mild conditions. The glass transition temperatures of these cocyclics ranged from 72.3 to 190.0degreesC, while the glass transition temperatures of the polydisulfides derived from these cocyclics ranged from 78.4 to 194.5degreesC. In this article, a new method of preparing arylene dithiols 4,4'-oxybis(benzenethiol) and diphenylmethane-4,4'-dithiol is reported. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.