Facile method towards functionalization of partially fluorinated polyarylethers via sequential post-polymerization modification

Abstract A novel partially fluorinated arylene vinylene ether (FAVE) polymer containing ester groups was synthesized, which was used to prepare three reactive FAVE polymers containing carboxylic acid groups, alcohol groups, and acid chloride groups, respectively. Post-polymerization modifications of the FAVE polymer's carboxylic acid groups (via a DCC coupling procedure with the desired alcohol), alcohol groups (via DCC coupling or an acid chloride esterification procedure with the desired carboxylic acid or acid chloride), and acid chloride groups (via an optimized nucleophilic substitution reaction with the desired alcohol or amine) were successfully performed. Several examples have been successfully prepared to demonstrate the versatility of these developed modification methods. FAVE polymers have been prepared with NHS active ester groups, Disperse Red 1 chromophores, benzyl bromide groups, aryl trifluorovinyl ether groups, ATRP initiator groups, vinyl groups, propargyl groups, Disperse Orange 3 chromophores, and benzaldehyde groups. In most cases, analytical data are consistent with a quantitative conversion of the reactive or functional groups. It is demonstrated that no degradation of the FAVE polymer matrix occurs after multistep post-polymerization modification reactions.