Polyarylene polymers and processes for preparing

Abstract

Provided are sulfone-containing polyarylene polymers. Also provided are monomers and processes for preparing the polymers. The polyarylene polymers are suitable for use as engineering polymers.

1 . A polymer comprising repeating units of Formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where T is a bulky aromatic group. 
       
     
     
         2 . The polymer of  claim 1  that has a number average molecular weight of at least about 5,000. 
     
     
         3 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein T is phenyl. 
     
     
         4 . The polymer of  claim 1  further comprising repeating units of Formula (II): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where T′ is a bulky aromatic group. 
       
     
     
         5 . The polymer of  claim 4  that has a number average molecular weight of at least about 5,000. 
     
     
         6 . The polymer of  claim 4  wherein T′ is phenyl. 
     
     
         7 . A compound of Formula (IA): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where T is a bulky aromatic group and X is Br or Cl. 
       
     
     
         8 . The compound of  claim 7  where T is phenyl 
     
     
         9 . The compound of  claim 7  where is Cl. 
     
     
         10 . A process for preparing a polymer comprising polymerizing a monomer of Formula (IA) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein T is a bulky aromatic group and X is independently Br or Cl. 
       
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10  where T is phenyl 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10  where X is Cl. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the polymer has a number average molecular weight of at least about 5,000. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the process comprises polymerizing a monomer of Formula (IA) and a monomer of Formula (IIA) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein T′ is a bulky aromatic group and X′ is independently Br or Cl. 
       
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 10  where T and T′ are phenyl 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 10  where X and X′ are Cl. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the polymer has a number average molecular weight of at least about 5,000. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the polymerization is done in the presence of a zerovalent transition metal and a neutral ligand in the form of a complex. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein the zerovalent transition metal is palladium or nickel. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18  wherein the zerovalent transition metal is bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and the neutral ligand is 2,2′-bipyridine.