Synthesis of poly(arylene ether sulfone): 18-Crown-6 catalyzed phase-transfer polycondensation of bisphenol A with 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone

We have demonstrated that the phase-transfer polycondensation of bisphenol A with 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone catalyzed by 18-crown-6 provided poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with high molecular weights even in the non-dehydrated N,N-dimethylacetamide. The obtained poly(arylene ether sulfone)s showed similar or higher number average molecular weights (M n) compared with that prepared by the conventional polycondensation using azeotropic distillation.