CHEMISTRY
Aromatic Polymer Synthesis Through Imidation. Cody W. Nance*, Department of
Chemistry, Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY 40324; Matt Milner, Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666;
Anusree Iyer. and Daniel Knauss, Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry,
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401.
A soluble precursor was synthesized through a multi-step synthesis. The
starting monomers were 1,4,5,8 naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydride and
phthalic anhydride. The compounds were first dibrominated then esterified. Only
naphthalene was able to be amidized. All steps were proven by both FT-IR and 1HNMR. The naphthalene ester-acid and naphthalene amide-ester derivates were
tested both tested through fluorescence and a red shift was observed. This did
support the fact of higher conjugation. Dibromoisocyanuric was also synthesized as
the dibrominating agent and was tested with melting point to test purity. 2,5Dibromo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene was synthesized to be polymerized with the
naphthalene amide-ester derivative as it increases solubility and is a good electron
acceptor.