Our research laboratories have successfully demonstrated the synthesis of semi-fluorinated aryl ether polymers which include perflourocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers prepared via [2+2] radical mediated thermal cyclodimerization of trifluorovinyl ethers (TFVE). PFCBs have been widely used in high performance passive optics, electro-optics, polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), space survivability, and polymeric fuel cell membranes (PEMs), high use temperature fluorosilicones, POSS composites, liquid crystalline polymers, and exhibit similar advantages as their fully fluorinated analogs. We have also demonstrated the nucleophilic addition of bisphenols to TFVEs to form fluoro-arylene vinylene ether (FAVE) polymers. Moreover, we have successfully synthesized poly(perfluorocycloalkyenyl aryl ether) homopolymers and copolymers in one step<i> via</i> nucleophilic addition/elimination with bisphenols and perfluorocycloalkenes (PFCAs). We are currently working on a project to attach TFVEs to corannulene or other buckybowls (curved-surface polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and introduce a novel functional group aspect to these materials. This presentation will overview the projects currently ongoing in our laboratory including three fluoropolymer platforms and new strategies to fluoro-functional corannulenes.

A modular approach to semi-fluorinated aromatic ether polymers via step-growth polymerization of fluoroalkenes

255th National Meeting (2018)

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