RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SYNTHESES OF AROMATIC POLYKETONES

Aromatic polyketone is one of the most highly performed super engineering plastics. With the progress of clarification of the exact feature of structure and thermal behavior of the polymers, a lot of novel aromatic polyketones have appeared and various synthetic approaches were undertaken in these years. The recent advances of polyketones are reviewed from synthetic interests. (1) New synthetic reactions, introduction and removal of tentative auxiliary groups in order to maintain the flexibility of polymer chain during chain elongation reaction, and uses of transition metals as a highly effective catalyst were developed for achievement of high molecular-weight polymer skeleton. (2) Fundamental structural perturbation was undertaken by introduction of crankshaft rings and additional conjugated moieties. (3) Introduction of side groups and their chemical transformation were undertaken to perform new structures and advanced properties. (4) Fine syntheses and reactions of designed oligomers and polymer precursors both for model studies and reactive oligo/polyketones were also investigated. The reports in 1999 and later were mainly surveyed.