Preparation and properties of polyesters derived from 4,4?-sulfonyl dibenzoyl chloride by solution polycondensation

Sulfone-containing polyesters of 18 kinds having inherent viscosities of 1.19–0.16 dL g−1 were prepared derived from 4,4′-sulfonyl dibenzoyl chloride by solution polycondensation from various aromatic and aliphatic diols in nitrobenzene at 82°C. The polyesters were examined with IR spectra, inherent viscosity, x-ray diffraction, solubility, DSC, and TGA. Polyester (PE-7) with the greatest inherent viscosity may reflect that bisphenol A having a electron-releasing group increases nucleophilic properties of the phenolate anion. Diols such as bisphenol AF (PE-13) and brominated diols (PE-4, PE-10, and PE-16) gave less favorable results. The diffractograms showed that all polyesters were essentially amorphous except that obtained from bisphenol S and its derivatives. Almost all polyesters except PE-1 and PE-2 were soluble in DMF, THF, tetrachloroethane and phenol/sym-tetrachloroethane (60/40 by mass) but insoluble in typical organic solvents such as acetone, toluene, and chloroform. These polymers obtained from aromatic bisphenols lost no mass below 309°C, but 10% loss of mass was recorded above 380°C in nitrogen.