Synthesis of Xylenyl Ether'Arylene Ether Sulfone Triblock Copolymers as Potential Modifiers for Polystyrene and Related Structures

We have successfully synthesized xylenyl ether-arylene ether sulfone triblock polymers. The use of a preformed silyl ether terminated xylenyl ether oligomer to react with a preformed aryl fluoride terminated sulfone oligomer in the presence of cesium fluoride is a successful route to prepare well-defined triblock poly(arylene ethers). An N-methylpyrrolidone/toluene solvent mixture at reflux temperatures was used as the reaction medium, which serves to dissolve the oligomers and at least partially dissolve the catalyst. Model polymerizations were performed to demonstrate both the feasibility of the synthetic route and the use of the solvent system. The high molecular weight triblock copolymers were characterized by GPC and intrinsic viscosity measurements. The use of this synthetic route precludes ether interchange reactions typical of conventional poly(arylene ether) syntheses, and both homo- and heterogeneous morphologies were observed depending on the block lengths used. © 1989, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.