Synthesis and free-radical ring opening polymerization of macrocyclic aryl thioether ether ketone (sulfone) oligomers

Two kinds of novel macrocyclic aryl thioether ether oligomers were synthesized by nucleophilic condensation reaction in high yields under pseudo-high-dilution condition. A combination of H-1 NMR, GPC and MALDI-TOF MS analyses unambiguously confirmed the cyclic nature and their distributions, Macrocyclic thioether ether ketone oligomers can undergo facile melt ring opening polymerization(ROP) initiated by thiyl radical to give a high molecular weight polymer.