Abstract
A new facile and rapid polycondensation reaction of 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)-N,N′-bis(phthaloyl-L-leucine) diacid chloride (1) with several aromatic diamines, including benzidine (2a), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (2b), 1,5-diaminoanthraquinone (2c), 4,4′-sulfonyldianiline (2d), 3,3′-diaminobenzophenone (2e), P-phenylenediamine (2f), 2,6-diaminopyridine (2g), 4,4′-diaminobenzophenone (2h), 2,4-diaminotoluene (2i), and 4,4′-diaminodiphenylether (2j), was developed with a domestic microwave oven in the presence of a small amount of a polar organic medium such as o-cresol. The polymerization reactions proceeded rapidly compared to conventional solution polycondensation and finished within 12 min, producing a series of optically active poly(amide-imide)s with quantitative yields and high inherent viscosities of 0.50–1.93 dL/g. All of the polymers were fully characterized by IR, elemental analyses, and specific rotation. Some structural characterization and physical properties of these optically active poly(amide-imide)s are reported. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1154–1160, 2000