Polymer preparation

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure A process for preparing a conjugated polymer, which comprises polymerizing in a reaction mixture (a) an aromatic monomer having at least two reactive boron derivative groups selected from a boronic acid group, a boronic ester group and a borane group, and an aromatic monomer having at least two reactive halide functional groups; or (b) an aromatic monomer having one reactive halide functional group and one reactive boron derivative group selected from a boronic acid group, a boronic ester group and a borane group, wherein the reaction mixture comprises a catalytic amount of a palladium catalyst, and an organic base in an amount sufficient to convert the reactive boron derivative groups into -B(OH) 3 - anions.

Claims 
     
         1.  21.  A process for coupling aromatic monomers, which comprises coupling in a reaction mixture an aromatic monomer having at least one boron-derivative functional group selected from the group consisting of a boronic acid group, a boronic ester group and a borane group, and an aromatic monomer having at least one reactive halide functional group; wherein the reaction mixture comprises a catalytic amount of a catalyst suitable for catalysing the coupling of the aromatic monomers, and an organic base including a tetraalkylammonium entity in an amount sufficient to convert the at least one boron-derivative functional group into -BX 3   -  anionic group(s), wherein X is independently selected from the group consisting of F and OH. 
         
     
     
         2.  22.A process for coupling aromatic monomers, which comprises preparing under non-coupling conditions an organic cation salt of an aromatic boronate monomer by the reaction of an aromatic monomer having at least one boron-derivative functional group with an organic base including a tetraalkylammonium entity in an amount sufficient to convert the at least one boron-derivative functional group into boronate anionic group(s) (-B(X) 3   - ) wherein X is independently selected from the group consisting of F and OH, and then coupling the organic cation salt of the aromatic boronate monomer with an aromatic monomer having at least one reactive halide functional group in the presence of a catalyst suitable for catalysing the coupling by elimination of a halide functional group and a boronate anionic group. 
     
     
         3.  23.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein X is OH. 
     
     
         4.  24.A process according to claim  21 , wherein at least 1.5 equivalents of said organic base per boron-derivative functional group is provided in the reaction mixture. 
     
     
         5.  25.A process according to claim  21 , wherein at least two equivalents of said organic base per boronfunctional group is provided in the reaction mixture. 
     
     
         6.  26.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein the organic base is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium carbonates, tetraalkylammonium bicarbonates and alkylammonium hydroxides. 
     
     
         7.  27.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein the organic base comprises R'R"' R"" NOH, wherein R' is a C 1  C 6  alkyl group, and R", R"' and R"" are each independently hydrogen atoms or C 1  C 6  alkyl groups. 
     
     
         8.  28.A process according to claim  27 , wherein the organic base is selected from the group consisting of (CH 3 )  4 NOH, (C 2 H 5 )  4 NOH and (C 3 H 7 )  4 NOH. 
     
     
         9.  29.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein the organic base is a tetraalkylammonium carbonate or a tetraalkylammonium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         10.  30.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein the organic base is used in combination with an aqueous solution of an inorganic base. 
     
     
         11.  31.A process according to claim  30 , wherein the inorganic base is NH 4 OH. 
     
     
         12.  32.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein the reaction is carried out in the absence of alkali metal cations. 
     
     
         13.  33.A process according to claim  21  or  22 ,  wherein at least one of the aromatic monomers is a 2,7(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene). 
     
     
         14.  34.A process according to claim  21  or  22 , wherein a solvent which is miscible with water and in which the reactive components are soluble is used. 
     
     
         15.  35.A process according to claim  21  for 22, wherein the catalyst is a palladium catalyst. 
     
     
         16.  36.A process according to claim  22 , wherein at least 1.5 equivalents of said organic base are reacted with the aromatic monomer having at least one boron-derivative functional group to produce the organic cation salt. 
     
     
         17.  37.A process according to claim  22 , wherein at least 2 equivalents of said organic base are reacted with the aromatic monomer having at least one boron-derivative functional group to produce the organic cation salt.