Synthesis of new soluble polybenzyls by Friedel-Crafts reactions

Soluble polybenzyls were prepared by a catalytic electrophilic Friedel-Crafts type polycondensation between α,α'-dichloro-p-xylene and substituted (by an alkyl or an alkoxy side-chain) mesitylene. The influence of the length of the side-chain on the solubility of the polymer was examined. The polymers were found to be soluble in common organic solvents. Polymer characterizations were made by 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis.