Determination of the kinetic parameters of BB'B'' monomers utilized to prepare hyperbranched poly(arylene ether)s

Abstract

<p>The degree of branching in hyperbranched poly(arylene ether)s prepared from 3,5,4'-trifluorodiphenyl sulfone or 3,5,4'-trifluorobenzophenone can be tailored via reaction temperature. 13C and 19F NMR spectroscopic analysis of 1 and 2 indicated that the 4'-site was the most reactive and that displacement of the first meta fluorine resulted in a considerable decrease in the reactivity of the second. To better understand and control the overall polymerization process it is crucial to determine the activation energy of each reactive site in the BB'B" monomers. Thus, a series of kinetic studies were performed, employing 2 equivalents of m-cresol, as the nucleophile. Initial kinetic studies were carried out on the corresponding BB' monomer, 3,5difluorodiphenyl sulfone, 4. Reaction temperatures of 75°C, 100°C, 125 °C, and 150 °C were utilized and the aliquots removed from the reaction mixture were analyzed via a combination of GC/MS and NMR spectroscopy.</p><p>This presentation occurred at the Wright State University Campus-Wide Celebration of Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities on April 8, 2011</p>