Novel sulfur-and nitrogen containing polymers through acid-induced condensation reactions of methylsulfinylarenes

The acid-induced condensation reaction of methylsulfinylarenes represents a versatile tool for the buildup of well defined heteroatom containing polymers. The scope and limitations of this polymerization reaction of various monomers is described. High molecular weight poly(phenylene sulfide-phenyleneamine) (PPSA, Mn=1.5×105) and poly(phenylene sulfidephenyleneamine-phenyleneamine) (PPSAA, Mn=6.8×104) were synthesized via their poly(sulfonium) cations through this type of polycondensation reaction. These two novel polymers represent the first hybrid structures of poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and polyaniline (PAni). In contrast to these two intensively studied polymers, PPSA and PPSAA exhibit high solubilities in solvents, such as THF, DMF, DMSO and NMP.