Synthesis and characterization of new soluble polyesters derived from various cardo bisphenols by solution polycondensation

A series of new polyesters was prepared from terephthaloyl (or isophthaloyl) chloride acid with various cardo bisphenols on solution polycondensation in nitrobenzene using pyridine as hydrogen chloride quencher at 150 °C. These polyesters were produced with inherent viscosities of 0.32–0.49 dL · g−1. Most of these polyesters exhibited excellent solubility in a variety of solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, tetrachloroethane, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, m-cresol, and o-chlorophenol. The polyesters containing cardo groups including diphenylmethylene, tricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]decyl, tert-butylcyclohexyl, phenylcyclohexyl, and cyclododecyl groups exhibited better solubility than bisphenol A–based polyesters. These polymers showed glass transition temperatures (Tg's) between 185 °C and 243 °C and decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss ranging from 406 °C to 472 °C in nitrogen. These cardo polyesters exhibited higher Tg's and better solubility than bisphenol A-based polyesters.