Syntheses of polyarylates by alcoholysis and esterolysis

Abstract

The synthesis of polyarylates containing dimethyl 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate (DMNDC), an industrially available, readily purified, and tractable monomer, was investigated by using two synthesis routes, namely alcoholysis and esterolysis in the presence of tin catalyst. Diphenyl ether was used as solvent to keep the co-reactants in solution and to ensure stoichiometric balance. The polyarylates from dimethyl isophthalate (DMI)/dimethyl terephthalate (DMT)/bisphenol-A (BPA) or DMI/DMNDC/BPA were synthesized by alcoholysis in a two step process. A two step esterolysis process was used to synthesize high molecular weight polyarylate starting from DMI/DMT/bisphenol-A diacetate (BPAOAc) or DMI/DMNDC/BPAOAc ([η]inh = 0.48 dL g−1). Simplification to a one step esterolysis reaction led to a high molecular weight polyarylate ([η]inh = 0.48 dL g−1) starting from the mixture DMI/DMNDC/BPAOAc. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2891–2897, 1999