Spontaneous ring-opening polymerization of macrocyclic aromatic thioether ketones under transient high-temperature conditions

Colquhoun, H.M., Zolotukhin, M.G., Zhu, Z.X., Hodge, P. and Williams, D.J. (2004) Spontaneous ring-opening polymerization of macrocyclic aromatic thioether ketones under transient high-temperature conditions. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 25 (7). pp. 808-811. ISSN 1022-1336 doi: 10.1002/marc.200300310

Abstract/Summary

Spontaneous ring-opening polymerization of macrocyclic aromatic thioether ketones [-1,4-SC6H4CO-C6H4-](n) (n = 3 and 4), in which the thioether linkages are para to the ketone, occurs during rapid, transient heating to 480degreesC, to afford a soluble, semi-crystalline poly(thioether ketone) of high molar mass (eta(inh) > 1.0 dL . g(-1)). Corresponding macrocyclic ether ketone, and a macrocyclic thioether ether ketone in which the thioether linkage is para to the ether rather than to the ketone, show no evidence of polymerization under analogous conditions.