SYNTHESIS OF AROMATIC POLYETHERS BY SCHOLL REACTION .4. HOMOPOLYMERIZATION AND COPOLYMERIZATION OF ALPHA, OMEGA-BIS [4-(1-NAPHTHOXY)PHENYLSULFONYL]PERFLUOROALKANES

Polyether sulfones containing perfluoroalkyl segments were prepared by room temperature radical-cation polymerization (Scholl reaction) of 1,4-bis[4-(1-naphthoxy)phenylsulfonyl]perfluorobutane (1a) and 1,8-bis[4-(1-napthoxy)phenylsulfonyl]perfluorooctane (1b) in nitrobenzene, using anhydrous ferric chloride as oxidant. The homopolymerization of 1a and of 1b performed under various polymerization conditions, resulted in polymers with number average molecular weight (MBARn) up to 33,000 and 38,000 g/mol, respectively. Copolymerization of the fluorinated monomers 1a with 1b, and either 1a or 1b with 4,4'-bis(1-naphtoxy)diphenyl sulfone (4) and 1,5-bis(1-naphtoxy)pentane (5) produced copolymers of MBARn up to 18,100 g/mol. The reactivity of the various monomers was discussed on the basis of the induction and resonance stabilization effects.