Synthesis of High Molecular Weight Amphiphilic Polyphenylenes by Suzuki Polycondensation

Four different 1,4‐ and 1,3‐dibromobenzenes carrying nonpolar dodecyloxy and linear as well as branched polar oligo(ethylene glycol) side chains were subjected to Suzuki polycondensation (SPC) with benzene‐1,4‐bisboronic acid ester to produce high‐molecular‐weight amphiphilic polyphenylenes, three of which are all‐para and one is meta linked. Molecular weights were determined by size exclusion chromatography with conventional polystyrene calibration and, for two selected samples, with universal calibration. Polymerization under SPC conditions of one of the 1,4‐dibromo monomers is compared to that of the direct 1,4‐diiodo analog. Polyphenylenes prepared in this study.