Publication Date
2017
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
William Feld (Committee Member), Eric Fossum (Advisor), Daniel Ketcha (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
The synthesis of functionalized, linear poly (ether ether ketone), tailored to be semi-crystalline and soluble in a variety of organic-solvents was explored. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution was a chemical reaction method used to condense 3,5,4’-trifluorobenzophenone (TFK) with four different phenols at its para-positioned carbon-fluorine site: 4-methoxyphenol, 3-aminophenol, 4-bromophenol, and m-cresol. Further poly-condensation of functionalized TFK occurred at the meta-positioned carbon-fluorine sites with 4,4’-Bis[4-hydroxyphenoxy] benzophenone (Big A2) and 4,4’-difluorobenzophenone at molar equivalents of 1 to 0.5, respectively. The reaction afforded products that became insoluble in solvents needed for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic (e.g. DMSO-d6) analysis. The lack of desirable compounds compelled the necessity of examining the displacement of the fluorine groups in TFK located meta to the electron withdrawing group, the carbonyl moiety. Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), 1H and 13C, were used to analyze samples at varying reaction times and revealed that while it is possible to displace at least one of the meta-fluorine atoms in mono-substituted TFK with Big A2 and Bisphenol A, more time and a potentially higher temperature may be needed to complete the reaction. The synthesis of 75:25 PEEK-co-meta-PEEK, 5, from a previous project was successfully replicated and verified using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
Page Count
64
Department or Program
Department of Chemistry
Year Degree Awarded
2017
Copyright
Copyright 2017, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
