Poly(phenylene) with High Ion Selectivity for Use in Anion Exchange Membranes

Abstract

A method for synthesizing a poly(phenylene) with high ion selectivity comprises dissolving an alkyl halide poly(phenylene) in a polar aprotic solvent to form a nonaqueous solution and adding an anhydrous nucleophile to the nonaqueous solution to replace the halide of the alkyl halide poly(phenylene) with a cationic group of the nucleophile. The poly(phenylene) can be used in anion exchange membranes.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for synthesizing a poly(phenylene) with high ion selectivity, comprising
 dissolving an alkyl halide poly(phenylene) in a polar aprotic solvent to form a nonaqueous solution, and   adding an anhydrous nucleophile to the nonaqueous solution to replace the halide of the alkyl halide poly(phenylene) with a cationic group of the nucleophile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the nonaqueous solution to a temperature of less than 200° C. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent comprises n-methyl pyrrolidone, dimethyl acetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide or dimethyl formamide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleophile comprises an amine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the amine comprises trimethyl amine, triethyl amine, or tripropyl amine. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleophile comprises imidazole, piperidine, or phosphine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising functionalizing at least one unsubstituted pendant aryl ring of the poly(phenylene) with an alkyl group.