A series of linear polyaryloxysilanes having various combinations of methyl, phenyl, vinyl, and allyl substituents was synthesized by melt-condensing , '-biphenol and dianilinosilanes. These soluble thermo-

SynopsisA series of polyaryloxysilanes was prepared from aromatic diols and dianilino-and diphenoxysilanes. High molecular weight polymers were obtained at temperatures of 200°C. or higher by using melt-polymerization procedures. The polymers, which combine the structures of silicones and polyaromatics, possessed high thermal stabilities and were obtained as materials which ( 1 ) failed to melt or soften at 35OoC., (2) were gumlike at elevated temperatures, or (3) were soluble, film-and fiber-forming polymers capable of being processed as conventional thermoplastics and having potentially useful mechanical properties. The preparation of monomers, general polymerization procedures, and certain structure-property relationships for the thermoplastic polyaryloxysilanes are considered.

A study is reported of the degradation of irradiated methacrylate polymers, the formation and trapping of free radicals, and their electron spin resonance (e.s.r.) spectrum. Several different radicals are apparently formed and it seems necessary to assume that they are formed by different mechanisms. This is also suggested by a number of observations of main chain degradation and the ratio of chain scission to ester removal for several methacrylate polymers. It is probable that several mechanisms of degradation and radical formation are operative and the one which predominates is dependent on the pendant ester structure.

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