Microwave-assisted synthesis of tetrasubstituted aryl imidazole based polymers via cascade polycondensation process

International audiencePoly(Tetrasubstituted Aryl Imidazole)s (PTAIs), a new class of poly(heteroaromatic) polymers was prepared via a cascade polycondensation process, under microwave irradiation. These polymers were obtained by the tetrasubstituted aryl imidazole ring formation involving bis(aryl alpha-diketone)s, bis(arylaldehyde)s, mono(arylamine)s and ammonium acetate. The polymerization performed under microwave irradiation allowed to get high molecular weight PTAIs in very short reaction times. The chemical structure of these PTAIs was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) showed a very good grade of thermal stability of these polymers. Glass transition temperatures (T-g) of PTAIs ranging from 155 degrees C to 265 degrees C were determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)