Aromatic polyesters with photosensitive side chains: Synthesis, characterization and properties

New aromatic polyesters with photosensitive groups in their pendant chains were prepared from a diphenol carrying as substituent a cinnamoyl group extended with a flexible oxyethyleneoxy spacer and different aromatic dicarboxylic acids via direct polyesterification reaction in the presence of tosyl chloride/pyridine/dimethylformamide system as condensing agent. The resulting polyesters were characterized using Fourier-transform IR, proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffractometry, gel permeation chromatography, viscosity measurement and solubility test. These polyarylates had moderate inherent viscosities ranging from 0.37 to 0.54 dL g-1, good solubility in polar aprotic solvents, and afforded transparent, colorless and apparently tough films by casting from their solutions. Their glass-transition temperatures ranged from 136 to 154°C. All of them did not show significant decomposition below 320°C and retained 38-47 % weight at 700°C in nitrogen atmosphere. The presence of cinnamoyl chromophore endowed these polymers with the ability to react to ultraviolet light which resulted in photodimerization between cinnamoyl side groups upon irradiation at l = 365 nm and cross-linking the polymers chains in the absence of photo-initiators or photo-sensitizers. As a consequence, the polymer films became insoluble in organic solvents