Polymers derived from poly(arylcyclobutenes)

Claim 2

A polymeric composition which comprises the reaction product prepared by exposing one or more poly(arylcyclobutenes) which comprise two or more aryl moieties with one or more cyclobutane rings fused to each aryl moiety, wherein the aryl moieties are directly bonded to one another or are connected by a bridging member wherein the bridging member is (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical or (2) a polyvalent organic radical, to temperatures at which the poly(arylcyclobutenes) undergo polymerization.

Claim 3

The polymeric composition of claim 1 wherein the polymerization temperature is about 30° C. or greater.

Claim 4

The polymeric composition of claim 2 wherein the polymerization temperature is 150° C. or greater.

Claim 5

The polymeric composition of claim 2 wherein the aryl moieties are connected by a direct bond or the bridging member is a polyvalent organic radical.

Claim 6

The polymeric composition of claim 4 wherein the polyvalent organic radical comprises (a) a hydrocarbon poly-yl or heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl, or (b) a hydrocarbon poly-yl or heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl which is bonded to polyvalent moieties which are capable of linking the hydrocarbon poly-yl or heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl radicals to the aryl moieties of the arylcyclobutene radicals.

Claim 7

The polymeric composition of claim 5 wherein the polyvalent linking moiety is an oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxycarbonyl, carbonyl, carbonyloxycarbonyl, carboxamido, carbonyldioxy, imido, cyclic imido, carboxamideoxy, ammonium carboxylate salt or ureylene moiety.

Claim 8

The polymeric composition of claim 6 wherein the linking moiety is oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, carbonyloxy, carboxamido, carbonyldioxy, or cyclic imido.

Claim 9

The polymeric composition of claim 7 wherein the hydrocarbon poly-yl is alkar-poly-yl, alk-poly-yl, alkene-poly-yl, ar-poly-yl or alkenear-poly-yl.

Claim 10

The polymeric composition of claim 8 wherein the hydrocarbon poly-yl is a C 1-20 alk-poly-yl, ar-poly-yl, alkenear-poly-yl or alkene-poly-yl.

Claim 11

The polymeric composition of claim 9 wherein the hydrocarbon poly-yl is C 2-10 alk-poly-yl or C 2-10 alkene-poly-yl, or an alkenear-poly-yl wherein the alkene moieties are vinylene and the aryl moieties are benzene radicals.

Claim 12

The polymeric composition of claim 9 wherein the aryl moiety is a benzene moiety.

Claim 13

The polymeric composition of claim 11 which comprises two benzocyclobutene radicals bridged by a divalent organic radical.

Claim 14

The polymeric composition of claim 12 wherein the divalent organic radical is a hydrocarbylene, dicarbonyloxy hydrocarbylene, dicarboxamido hydrocarbylene, dicarbonyldioxy hydrocarbylene, dioxyhydrocarbylene, or dithiohydrocarbylene radical.

Claim 15

The polymeric composition of claim 13 wherein the divalent organic radical is dicarbonyl hydrocarbylene, dicarboxamido hydrocarbylene or hydrocarbylene.

Claim 16

A polymeric composition which comprises the reaction product prepared by exposing one or more compounds which correspond to the formula ##STR39## wherein B is a direct bond between the aryl moieties or bridging member which comprises (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical, or (2) a polyvalent organic radical; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen, an electron-withdrawing substituent or an electron-donating substituent; Ar is an aromatic radical which may be substituted with an electron-withdrawing substituent; m is an integer of 1 or greater; and n is an integer of 2 or greater, with the proviso that B can be a direct bond only when n is equal to 2; to temperatures at which the compound undergoes polymerization.

Claim 17

A polymeric composition which comprises the reaction product prepared by exposing one or more compounds which correspond to the formula ##STR39## wherein B is a direct bond between the aryl moieties or bridging member which comprises (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical, or (2) a polyvalent organic radical; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen, an electron-withdrawing substituent or an electron-donating substituent; Ar is an aromatic radical which may be substituted with an electron-withdrawing substituent; m is an integer of 1 or greater; and n is an integer of 2 or greater, with the proviso that B can be a direct bond only when n is equal to 2; to temperatures at which the compound undergoes polymerization.

Claim 18

The polymeric composition of claim 15 wherein Ar is benzene, naphthalene, biphenyl, binaphthyl or a diphenylalkane radical.

Claim 19

The polymeric composition of claim 16 wherein Ar is benzene.

Claim 20

The polymeric composition of claim 17 which comprises the reaction product of one or more compounds which correspond to the formula ##STR40## wherein B is a direct bond or is a bridging member which comprises (1) an n valent inorganic radical, or (2) an n valent organic radical; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen or an electron-withdrawing substituent or electron-donating substituent; a is separately in each occurrence the integer 0, 1, 2 or 3; and n is an integer of 2 or greater.

Claim 21

The polymeric composition of claim 18 wherein B is a polyvalent organic radical which comprises (a) a hydrocarbon poly-yl or a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl, or (b) a hydrocarbon poly-yl or heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl which is bonded to polyvalent moieties which are capable of linking the hydrocarbon poly-yl or heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon poly-yl to the aryl moieties of the arylcyclobutene radicals.

Claim 22

The polymeric composition of claim 19 wherein B is (a) a moiety which corresponds to the formula X--Z-- n wherein X is an n valent hydrocarbon poly-yl radical or a hydrocarbon poly-yl radical which contains a heteroatom, and Z is a moiety which is capable of linking the hydrocarbon poly-yl radical to an aromatic radical of the arylcyclobutene, or (b) a hydrocarbon poly-yl.

Claim 23

The polymeric composition of claim 20 wherein X is an n valent hydrocarbon poly-yl radical; and Z is O, S, N, P, ##STR41##

Claim 24

The polymeric composition of claim 21 wherein Z is O, S, ##STR42##

Claim 25

The polymeric composition of claim 22 wherein n is 2 or 3.

Claim 26

The polymeric composition of claim 23 wherein n is 2.

Claim 27

The polymeric composition of claim 24 prepared from monomers which correspond to one of the formulas ##STR43##

Claim 28

The polymeric composition of claim 25 wherein X is an alk-poly-yl, cycloalk-poly-yl, ar-poly-yl, alkar-poly-yl, biaromatic alkylene bridged poly-yl or biaromatic cycloalkylene poly-yl radical.

Claim 29

The polymeric composition of claim 26 wherein X is --CH 2 -- p , ##STR44## a phenylene or biphenylene radical, or a cycloaliphatic moiety wherein Y is a C 1-20 alkylene or C 1-20 cycloalkylene radical, and p is an integer of 2 to 20.

Claim 30

The polymeric composition of claim 26 wherein X is --CH 2 -- p , phenylene, ##STR45## wherein p is an integer of between 2 and 10.

Claim 31

The polymeric composition of claim 19 wherein the bridging member is a polyvalent organic bridging member which corresponds to the formula --R 3 ) r (Ar--R 3 ) r ) q , --CH 2 -- p or --CH═CH((CH 2 ) p CH═CH-- s wherein Ar is an aromatic radical; R 3 is separately in each occurrence an alkylene, alkenylene, or cycloalkylene moiety; p is an integer of about 0 to about 20; q is an integer of 1 or greater; r is the integer 0 or 1; and s is an integer of about 0 to about 20.

Claim 32

The polymeric composition of claim 29 wherein the polyvalent organic bridging member corresponds to the formula ##STR46## wherein p is an integer of between about 2 and 10, q is an integer of between about 1 and 20 and s is an integer of about 0 to 10.

Claim 33

A polymeric composition which comprises units of the formulas ##STR47## wherein B is a direct bond or bridging member which comprises (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical, or (2) a polyvalent organic radical; Ar is an aromatic radical which may be substituted; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen or an electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituent; m is an integer of 1 or more; and n is an integer of 2 or more, with the proviso that B can only be a direct bond wherein n is 2.

Claim 34

A polymeric composition which comprises units of the formulas ##STR47## wherein B is a direct bond or bridging member which comprises (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical, or (2) a polyvalent organic radical; Ar is an aromatic radical which may be substituted; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen or an electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituent; m is an integer of 1 or more; and n is an integer of 2 or more, with the proviso that B can only be a direct bond wherein n is 2.

Claim 35

The polymeric composition of claim 31 which comprises units of the formulas ##STR48## wherein B is a direct bond or bridging member which comprises (1) a polyvalent inorganic radical, or (2) a polyvalent organic radical; R is separately in each occurrence hydrogen or an electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituent; and a is separately in each occurrence the integer of 0, 1, 2 or 3.