Synthesis of poly(arylene ether)s containing quinoxaline units

Abstract

Poly(arylene ether)s containing quinoxaline units were prepared by the aromatic nucleophilic displacement reaction of novel bis(phenolquinoxaline) compounds with activated aromatic difluoro compounds. Polymers prepared from bis(phenolquinoxaline)s that had configurational isomers were amorphous with inherent viscosity ( η inh) from 0.34 to 1.30 dl g −1 and glass transition temperature ( T g) from 213 to 283°C. Several polymers prepared from bis(phenolquinoxaline)s that did not contain configurational isomers were semicrystalline with η inh from 0.24 to 0.83 dl g −1, T gs from 179 to 240°C and T ms from 365 to 388. The molecular weights of the semicrystalline polymers were limited by their solubility in the reaction media.