Synthesis and characterization of thermally stable naphthyl acrylate polymers

A series of new naphthyl acrylate polymers with good thermal stabilities were synthesized from substituted 1,5-naphthalene diol with acryloyl chloride. The formation of ester-, keto- and ether-functionalities of naphthyl acrylate were confirmed by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies. Thermal decomposition temperatures of these newly prepared naphthyl acrylate polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The initial decomposition temperature follows the order: poly(1-Acryloxy-5-benzoyloxy naphthalene) > poly(1-Acryloxy-5-benzylnaphthylether) > poly(4-Acetyl-1-acryloxy-5-benzoyloxy naphthalene). The molecular weights M̄w, M̄n and polydispersity index of the polymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography. It was found that the molecular weights of the polymers follows this trend with poly(ABNE) > poly(AABN) > poly(ABN).