Facile synthesis of functional binaphthyl-based hyperbranched polyarylenes by organo-catalyzed alkyne polycyclotrimerization

Abstract

Binaphthyl-based polymers have attracted increasing interest due to their unique properties and wide applications. Nevertheless, binaphthyl-containing hyperbranched polymers are rarely reported. Herein, two binaphthyl-based hyperbranched polyarylenes with high molecular weights were facilely synthesized in satisfactory yields by the polycyclotrimerization of internal diynes containing binaphthyl units in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) under heating in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate (p-TsOH·H2O). The resultant polymers are soluble in common organic solvents, and thermally stable with 5% weight loss temperatures higher than 380 °C. They showed electrochemical properties, and optical activities. Furthermore, the polymer-doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films exhibited yellow room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with the lifetime longer than 630 ms.