Thermostability of polymers containing indanic units in the main chain

The acid‐catalyzed stepwise polymerization of 1,1‐diphenylethylene derivatives, p‐di(1‐phenylvinyl) benzene, bis[p‐(1‐phenylvinyl)phenyl]methane, 1,2‐bis[p‐(1‐phenylvinyl)phenyl]ethane, bis[p‐(1‐phenylvinyl)phenyl]ether, and bis[p‐(1‐phenylvinyl)phenyl]sulfide produced selectively indanic‐unit‐containing polymers in pertinent conditions. Their molecular weights (M̄n) were in the 1600–15, 700 region after the fractionation in hot ethnol. Melting points were in the 214–281°C region. They dissolved fairly well in conventional solvents like benzene, tetrahydrofuran, and carbon tetrachloride. According to TGA they started to decompose at 397–432°C and showed 10% weight loss at 478–502°C in air at a heating rate of 5°C/min. Focusing on the thermostability, we report on their physical properties.