The B. F. Goodrich Company

Lee Traynor

Virgil Percec

Gary S Huvard

Floyd L Ramp

A non-catalytic process converts oligomers of polyarylene polyethers (PAPE) having a mol wt Mn in the range from 1000 to about 10,000 to difunctionalized oligomers so as, in the first instance, to provide a reactive double bond (for example, a vinylbenzyl group) at each end of the PAPE; and, in the second instance to provide a triple bond (benzylethynyl group) at each end of the PAPE. The solubility of intermediate bisphenolates of (i) a dihydric phenol, and of (ii) the PAPE oligomer in particular solvents which allow (a) water of reaction to be removed without being degraded, and (b) essentially complete end-capping of the oligomer chains with vinyl chain ends, are the keys to the novel process. The PAPE most preferably has a repeating unit which is the residuum of two dihydric phenols or thiophenols ('DHP') linked through a C.dbd.O, --S--S--, or --SO.sub.2 - group, or a Si or C atom, and/or ether O, or thioether S atoms. The preferred repeating unit is formed by reaction of a DHP such as bisphenol A (BPA) with a halogenated DHP such as dichlorophenyl sulfone (DCPS) so as to provide an alternating configuration. The repeating unit may also include a linking residue of a reactive solvent which residue provides chain extension in the backbone. An oligomer which is a homopolymer having a repeating unit in which at least four benzenoid rings are connected through ether O atoms, may also be difunctionalized. In particular, .alpha..omega.-di(phenol)aromatic polyether sulfone oligomers ('APS') are esterified so as to have terminal methacrylyl groups; and, etherified so as to have styryl end groups which are thermally crosslinkable.

Non-catalytic process for the preparation of difunctionalized

Organic polymers which are 'hydroxyphenyl-substituted' and 'ether-substituted' polypyrroles ('PP') linked through N-adjacent C atoms, are disclosed which are compactable, extrudable and are also electrical conductors. When such PPs are prepared by electrochemical deposition with an appropriate electrolyte, they are also soluble in commonly available solvents, provided at least one of the 3- or 4-positions of the pyrrole nucleus is substituted with a substituent having either a hydroxyphenyl, or an ether structure. By choice of the hydroxyphenyl and/or ether substituent on one of the substitutable positions (3- or 4-) of the pyrrole nucleus, or both, the PP may be tailored for use either as a semiconductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-5 to about 10.sup.-2 S/cm, or a relatively good conductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-2 to about 10.sup.2 S/cm. A method is disclosed for preparing an ether-substituted pyrrole comprising reacting a non-Michael acceptor selected from the group consisting of esters, ketones and nitriles having vinylene carbon atoms, with tosylmethylisocyanide, in the presence of a solvent, so as to form a hydroxyphenyl-substituted or an ether-substituted pyrrole directly without substituting the pyrrole ring in the 2- and 5-positions.

Electrically conductive pyrrole polymers and process of preparing the

Cycloalk-2-enes and cycloalk-2-ene-dienes are found to be Michael acceptors which react with tosylmethylisocyanide to form bicyclo fused-ring compounds. A wide variety of substituents may be introduced on the alkylene ring with the aid of the carbonyl group(s) on the fused-ring compound. These carbonyl-containing bicyclo fused-ring compounds may be reduced to provide monomers which may be electrodeposited as substituted polypyrroles ('PP') which are electrically conductive, compactable and extrudable organic polymers. By choice of substituents on the alkylene ring which bridges the 3- and 4-carbon atoms of the pyrrole ring, the PP may be tailored for use either as a semiconductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-5 to about 10.sup.-2 S/cm, or a relatively good conductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-2 to about 10.sup.2 S/cm. A method is disclosed for preparing a polymethylene-substituted pyrrole comprising reacting a cyclic mono- or di-ketone Michael acceptor selected from the group consisting of cycloalk-2-enes and cycloalk-2-dienes, with tosylmethylisocyanide, in the presence of a solvent, so as to form an azabicycloalkylene(di)one, directly, without substituting the N-adjacent carbon atoms on the pyrrole ring.

Polymethylene pyrroles

Organic polymers which are 'hydroxyphenyl-substituted' and 'ether-substituted' polypyrroles ('PP') linked through N-adjacent C atoms, are disclosed which are compactable, extrudable and are also electrical conductors. When such PPs are prepared by electrochemical deposition with an appropriate electrolyte, they are also soluble in commonly available solvents, provided at least one of the 3- or 4- positions of the pyrrole nucleus is substituted with a substituent having either a hydroxyphenyl, or an ether structure. By choice of the hydroxyphenyl and/or ether substituent on one of the substitutable positions (3- or 4-) of the pyrrole nucleus, or both, the PP may be tailored for use either as a semiconductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-5 to about 10.sup.-2 S/cm, or a relatively good conductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-2 to about 10.sup.2 S/cm. A method is disclosed for preparing an ether-substituted pyrrole comprising reacting a non-Michael acceptor selected from the group consisting of esters, ketones and nitriles having vinylene carbon atoms, with tosylmethylisocyanide, in the presence of a solvent, so as to form a hydroxyphenyl-substituted or an ether-substituted pyrrole directly without substituting the pyrrole ring in the 2- and 5- positions.

Electrically conductive pyrrole polymers

Cycloalk-2-enes and cycloalk-2-ene-dienes are found to be Michael acceptors which react with tosylmethylisocyanide to form bicyclo fused-ring compounds. A wide variety of substituents may be introduced on the alkylene ring with the aid of the carbonyl group(s) on the fused-ring compound. These carbonyl-containing bicyclo fused-ring compounds may be reduced to provide monomers which may be electrodeposited as substituted polypyrroles ('PP') which are electrically conductive, compactable and extrudable organic polymers. By choice of substituents on the alkylene ring which bridges the 3- and 4- carbon atoms of the pyrrole ring, the PP may be tailored for use either as a semiconductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-5 to about 10.sup.-2 S/cm, or a relatively good conductor having a conductivity in the range from about 10.sup.-2 to about 10.sup.2 S/cm. A method is disclosed for preparing a polymethylene-substituted pyrrole comprising reacting a cyclic mono- or di-ketone Michael acceptor selected from the group consisting of cycloalk-2-enes and cycloalk-2-dienes, with tosylmethylisocyanide, in the presence of a solvent, so as to form an azabicycloalkylene(di)one, directly, without substituting the N-adjacent carbon atoms on the pyrrole ring.

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Akron, OH, United States of America

Lee Traynor