High Performance Low Dielectric Constant Polymer with Good Film‐Forming Ability Developed from Renewable Plant Oil (Anethole)

A new polymer showing low dielectric constant and good film‐forming ability derived from a renewable plant oil (anethole) and thermo cross‐linkable benzocyclobutene is developed. This polymer with anethole content of more than 50% is prepared through a thermal cross‐linking reaction of an anethole‐based monomer with active benzocyclobutene unit, and it displays a low dielectric constant of less than 2.70 varying from 0.1 to 30 MHz, low water uptake of below 0.1%, and good thermostability (5% weight loss of up to 430 °C). The polymer film also exhibits high transparency and low surface roughness. These results are comparable to that of the commercial benzocyclobutene‐based high performance polymers widely used in electronic/microelectronic industry, suggesting that the renewable anethole could be considered as a new sustainable feedstock supply to produce the benzocyclobutene‐like high performance materials.