Poly(arylene ether)s prepared from functionalized 3,5‐difluorotriphenylphosphine oxide

Abstract

3,5-difluorotriphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) was functionalized via the reaction with n- iodosuccinimide, introducing two iodo groups to the system. A model reaction was performed with t-butyl phenol to verify that the carbon-iodine bonds are able to withstand the conditions of nucleophilic aromatic substitution (NAS). The iodinated TPO monomer allows for the introduction of pendant functional groups for modification of the TPO-based polymers, tailoring the solubility, and physical properties of the poly(arylene) ethers, PAEs. Using the iodinated monomer as a platform for pre- and post- polymerization will allow for the introduction of a multitude of functional groups, including Suzuki coupling reactions with boronic acids, the introduction of nitro groups as a precursor to amino based systems, the Heck reaction to form a substituted alkene, and Sonogashira coupling for the conversion to an alkyne.