Synthesis of Polymers in Aqueous Solutions: Synthesis of Polyethers by Reactions of Bisphenols with Bis(4-Chloro-3-Nitrophenyl) Sulfone using Various bases in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Polycondensations of bisphenols such as bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-AF (BPAF) and bisphenol-S (BPS) with bis(4-chloro-3-nitrophenyl) sulfone (BCNPS) were examined using various organic or inorganic bases in mixed solvents of DMAc with water or in plain water. The reactions of bisphenols (BPA, BPAF and BPS) with BCPNS proceeded smoothly to give the corresponding polyethers (P-1, P-2 and P-3) in mixed solvents of DMAc with water at 60 °C using 1, 8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undecene-7 (DBU) as a base, although the rate of the reaction decreased gradually as the water in the solvent increased. Polyethers P-1, P-2 and P-3 can also be obtained by the reaction in plain water using appropriate organic bases such as DBU, triethylamine, and 4-(N, N-dimethylamino)pyridine. It was also found that P-1 with relatively high molecular weight was synthesized in high yield when the reaction of BPA with twice the amount of BCNPS was performed using DBU at 60 °C for 48 h in plain water.