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Solution polycondensations of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine with two dicarboxylic acids, 4,4′-oxybis(benzoic acid) and hexafluoroisopropylidene bis(benzoic acid) to obtain two different polybenzimidazoles, OPBI and CF3PBI, correspondingly, were studied in terms of formation of processable polymers and insoluble crosslinked gel. The syntheses were conducted in Eaton's reagent using conventional heating (CH) at 100, 140 and 180 °C and microwave irradiation (MW) at 90 and 100 °C. The content of gel fraction was lesser using high temperature conditions under CH. The MW-assisted syntheses resulted in acceleration of polycondensations, but an abrupt growth of the insoluble gel was also observed under these conditions. The FTIR data showed that MW irradiation stimulated the side acylation reactions, and OPBI suffered more from the side acylation than CF3PBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polycondensations of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine with two acids, 4,4′-oxybis(benzoic acid) and hexafluoroisopropylidene bis(benzoic acid), were conducted in Eaton’s reagent at the unusually high temperature of 180°C and under microwave irradiation at 90°C. Both protocols resulted in soluble polybenzimidazoles, OPBI and CF3PBI, of high molecular weights in very short reaction times. The synthesized polybenzimidazoles exhibited high thermostability and excellent mechanical properties. The influence of the reaction conditions on the polymer structure and molecular weights was studied. The “microwave effect” was demonstrated by comparison of the polycondensations conducted under microwave irradiation and conventional heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]