One-pot method of preparing novel macrocyclic(thio arylene) oligomers

A series of macrocyclic(thio arylene) oligomers were synthesized under high dilution conditions by reacting diphenyl ether, diphenyl, diphenyl disulfide or diphenyl methane with dichloro disulfide in the presence of trace amount of iron powder by a one-step method. The composition of these macrocyclic oligomers was analyzed by MALDI-TOF technology, and the experimental results showed that the cyclics were a mixture with repeating units separated by one to seven sulfur atoms. These macrocyclics can undergo ring-opening polymerization to form linear polymers under mild conditions. The glass transition temperatures of produced polymers varied with the sulfur content.