SYNTHESES AND CHARACTERIZATIONS OF HYPERBRANCHED POLYPHENYLENES

New hyperbranched polyphenylenes with high molecular weights are synthesized by the copolycyclotrimerizations of 1,4-diethynylbenzene (I) with phenylacetylene (A), 1-octyne (B), and 1-dodecyne (C) catalyzed by TaCl ₅-Ph₄Sn. The polymers are completely soluble in common solvents such as toluene, THF, chloroform, and dichloromethane. The polymers are characterized by spectroscopic methods and all of the polymers give satisfactory analysis data corresponding to their expected molecular structures.