| abstract |
Condensation of fluoro-substituted and silyl-substituted monomers provides polymers suitable for use, e.g., as engineering polymers. A monomer composition is condensed in the presence of a basic catalyst. The monomer composition contains a compound of formula F—X—F and a compound of formula (R 1 ) 3 Si—Z—Si(R 1 ) 3 , and forms an alternating X—Z polymer chain and a silyl fluoride byproduct. X has the formula -A(-R 2 -A)n-; each A is SO 2 , C(═O) or Het; R 2 is an organic moiety; n is 0 or 1; Het is an aromatic nitrogen heterocycle; Z has the formula -L-R 3 -L-; each L is O, S, or N(R 4 ); and each R 3 is an organic moiety, and R 4 comprises H or an organic moiety. |