Difunctional bitricyclodecatriene monomers

Novel difunctionalized cyclobutabenzene monomers of the general formula: wherein Z can be hydrogens or a cyclobutane ring; and X and Y are carboxyl, amino, alcohol, isocyanate, acid halide, or bis-acyl halide groups. Exemplary difunctional bitricyclodecatriene monomers are [2,2'-bidicyclo[2.4.0]octa-1,3,5-triene]-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid (BXTA) and [2,2'-bitricyclo[6.2.0.0]deca-1,3,(6),7-triene]-7,7'-dicarboxylic acid (QXTA). The difunctionalized bitricyclodecatriene monomers can form part of a polymer backbone chain in which the multiple butane ring functionalities can be easily opened to produce strong, three-dimensional covalent bond crosslinking between polymer chains. The crosslinking can be induced simply by heating the polymer to a temperature in excess of 250 DEG C. Novel difunctionalized cyclobutabenzene monomers of the general formula: wherein Z can be hydrogens or a cyclobutane ring; and X and Y are carboxyl, amino, alcohol, isocyanate, acid halide, or bis-acyl halide groups. Exemplary difunctional bitricyclodecatriene monomers are [2,2'-bidicyclo[2.4.0]octa-1,3,5-triene]-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid (BXTA) and [2,2'-bitricyclo[6.2.0.0]deca-1,3,(6),7-triene]-7,7'-dicarboxylic acid (QXTA). The difunctionalized bitricyclodecatriene monomers can form part of a polymer backbone chain in which the multiple butane ring functionalities can be easily opened to produce strong, three-dimensional covalent bond crosslinking between polymer chains. The crosslinking can be induced simply by heating the polymer to a temperature in excess of 250 DEG C.