Hydroxy-Substituted Polyenaminonitrile as a Soluble Precursor for Rigid-Rod Polybenzoxazole

(1-Chloro-2,2-dicyanovinyl)benzene or 1,4-bis(1-chloro-2,2-dicyanovinyl)benzene was reacted with 2-amino-phenol to give the model compound, hydroxy enaminonitrile, which was found to undergo thermal cyclization reaction to form the corresponding benzoxazole. This intramolecular cyclization reaction is expected to occur through nucleophilic attack to electropositive enamine carbon by ortho-hydroxy group on the phenyl ring, which is accompanied by the release of neutral malononitrile through rearrangement. From each bifunctional monomer, o-hydroxy substituted polyenaminonitrile was prepared and characterized as a new precursor polymer for well-known aromatic polybenzoxazole. Also the unusual macrocyclic dimer formation from the 1,4-bis(1-chloro-2,2-dicyanovinyl)benzene and 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane polymerization reaction system was discussed. The thermal cyclization reactions and the properties of polymers were investigated using FT-IR and thermal analysis (DSC & TGA).