Synthesis of new ethynylene-containing aromatic polyamides by palladium-catalyzed polycondensation of aromatic diiodides with aromatic diethynyl compounds having amide units

New ethynylene-containing aromatic polymides were synthesized by the carbon–carbon crosscoupling polycondensation of aromatic diiodides with aromatic amide-bearing diethynyl compounds in the presence of a palladium catalyst, cuprous iodide, and an organic base. The polymers having sulfone linkages were soluble in various organic solvents and their weight average molecular weights were in the range of 12,500 and 26,500. The polymers with the highest inherent viscosity were obtained, when the monomer ratio of a diethynyl compound to a diiodide was 1.01. The polymers showed no detectable glass transition temperature and no weight loss up to around 300° C in nitrogen. The thermal crosslinking of the polymers occurred at 280°C through the existing internal ethynylene group. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.