High molecular weight poly(phthalazinone)s with high glass
transition temperatures were
prepared by a novel N−C coupling reaction. New
bis(phthalazinone) monomers (5a−f), such
as 7,7‘-oxobis[4-phenylphthalazin-1(2H)-one] (5c),
were synthesized from the corresponding bis(phthalic
anhydride)s (3a−f) in two steps. Other types of
bis(phthalazinone) monomers (8, 9) were
synthesized from
phthalic anhydride and diphenyl sulfide or diphenyl ether. AB-type
phthalazinone monomers (11a, 12−14) were also synthesized from phthalic anhydride.
Poly(phthalazinone)s, having inherent viscosities
of
0.3−0.4 dL/g, were prepared by the reaction of the
bis(phthalazinone) monomers with an activated aryl
halide such as bis(4-fluorophenyl) sulfone (22) in a
dipolar aprotic solvent in the presence of potassium
carbonate. AB-type phthalazinone monomers do not form high
molecular weight polymers because of
premature precipitation during the polymerization reaction. One of
the AB-type phthalazinone monomers,
4-[4-((4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl)phenyl]phthalazin-1(2H)-one,
was successfully copolymerized with 4,4‘-biphenol and bis(4-fluorophenyl) sulfone to form high molecular
weight polymers. The copolymers showed
higher glass transition temperatures (T
gs) as
the phthalazinone ratio increased. All phthalazinone
homopolymers except the Bisphenol A phthalazinone polymers show
T
gs around 300 °C by differential
scanning calorimetry. The decomposition temperatures for 5%
weight losses in air and in nitrogen
measured by thermogravimetric analysis are in the range of 480−530
°C. Polymers from the Bisphenol
A phthalazinone monomer are soluble in chlorinated solvents such as
chloroform. Other polymers are
soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. The soluble polymers can be
cast
into flexible films from solution.