Synthesis and properties of polycondensation polymers from compounds with asymmetric functional groups

Abstract

AbstractThe effect of conditions of polycondensation on the structure of polymers formed from monomers with symmetric and asymmetric functional groups by nonequilibrium polycondensation has been studied for the system with acceptor‐catalytic polyesterification of β‐hydroxyethyl ethers of bisphenols and terephthalic acid chloride in the presence of triethylamine. Polymers with statistical or regular arrangement of diol residues in the chain can be produced in such systems, depending on the way in which starting compounds are introduced in the reactor. A difference in the reactivity of functional groups in an asymmetric monomer is not sufficient to produce polycondensation polymers with a regular structure. Gradual introduction of the symmetric monomer is essential to yield polymers with predominant “head‐to‐head” (“tail‐to‐tail”) configurations. Some properties of the resulting polymers have been studied. Polymers with ordered residues of the asymmetric monomers in the macromolecules have higher softening temperatures and an increased tendency for crystallization than the statistic polymers.