Synthesis and characterization of poly(arylene ether ketone)s with 3,6-diphenyl-9H-carbazole pendants using C–N coupling reaction:

3,6-Diphenyl-9H-carbazole pendants are grafted herein to poly(arylene ether ketone)s (PAEKs) via the Ullmann C–N coupling reaction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that PAEKs containing a carbazole pendant (Cz) have been synthesized through the Ullmann C–N coupling reaction. The high molecular weights of PAEK-Cz (PAEKs with 3,6-diphenyl-9H-carbazole pendants) are inherited from their precursors, owing to the high reactivity of their monomers. The obtained PAEK-Cz-x polymers exhibit good solubility in most common organic solvents and excellent thermal stabilities, with the 5% weight loss temperatures for all products being above 598°C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The glass transition temperatures are all above 199°C and can be controlled by adjusting the feed ratio of monomers. The polymer membranes obtained by the casting method are tough and thus have strong potential for practical applications.