Preparation and characterization of novel soluble polyarylates derived from 9,9-bis[4-(4-chloroformylphenoxy)phenyl]xanthene with various bisphenols

A series of new polyarylates bearing cardo xanthene groups were synthesized by phase-transfer-catalyzed interfacial polycondensation of 9,9-bis[4-(4-chloroformylphenoxy)phenyl]xanthene with various bisphenols containing the isopropylidene, hexafluoroisopropylidene, 1-phenylethylidene, diphenylmethane, cyclohexane, and xanthene structures. High-molecular-weight polyarylates with number-average molecular weight and polydispersity index in the range of 30,100–35,300 and 1.82–2.17, respectively, exhibited high glass transition temperatures ranged from 226°C to 261°C, and their 10% weight loss temperatures were in the range of 421–452°C with char yields above 45% at 700°C in nitrogen. All the polyarylates were amorphous and readily soluble in organic solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, meta-cresol, pyridine, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone at room temperature and could be cast into tough, transparent, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 85.6–108.3 MPa, elongations at break of 2–3%, and tensile moduli of 7–9 GPa.