Synthesis of a transesterification vitrimer activated by fluorine from an α,α-difluoro carboxylic acid and a diepoxy

[Display omitted] •An α,α-difluorodicarboxylic acid was synthesized.•The reaction of the diacid with a diepoxy led to a 3D network.•The polyester material obtained is a catalyst-free vitrimer. An α,α-difluorodicarboxylic acid (P-DAF) was easily synthesized in two steps from diiodobenzene and reacted with a commercial diepoxy (BDGE). The electron-withdrawing effect of the fluorinated group activated the polymerization and gelation readily happened at room temperature. After curing at 150 °C a novel dynamic material was obtained. The P-DAF/BDGE material exhibited a high gel content (94 %) and was able to flow when heated. This material could be successfully reshaped by compression molding under mild conditions (1.5 h at 150 °C). This new material demonstrates that catalyst-free transesterification vitrimers can be prepared from difunctional monomers.