Polyarylene ether sulfones

Abstract

A process for the manufacturing of a poly(arylether sulfone)polymer comprising reacting in a solvent mixture comprising a polar aprotic solvent and in the presence of an alkali metal carbonate, a monomer mixture which contains: at least one 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitol selected from the group consisting of isosorbide (1), isomannide (2) and isoidide (3); at least one dihaloaryl compound of formula (S):X—Ar—SO—[Ar—(T-Ar)n—SO]—Ar—X  formula (S)wherein n and m, equal to or different from each other, are independently zero or an integer of 1 to 5; X and X', equal to or different from each other, are halogens selected from F, Cl, Br, I; each of Ar, Ar, Arand Arequal to or different from each other and at each occurrence, is an aromatic moiety, T is a bond or a divalent group optionally comprising one or more than one heteroatom; optionally, at least one dihydroxyl compound different from the diol (AA); optionally, at least one dihaloaryl compound different from the dihalo (BB); and optionally, at least one hydroxyl-halo compound [hydro-halo (A′B′)]; being understood that the overall amount of halo-groups and hydroxyl-groups of the monomers of the monomer mixture is substantially equimolecular, so as to obtain a polymer (b-PAES), wherein the reaction is carried out at a total % monomer mixture concentration equal to or more 10% and less than 70% with respect to the combined weight of monomer mixture and solvent mixture.