Catalytic Cs2CO3 Promotes “Silyl Method”-Type Polycondensation

Catalytic amounts of cesium carbonate are sufficient to initiate the “silyl method”-type step-growth polymerization of phenylene-bis-TMS-ethers and -thioethers with activated aryl fluoride monomers, and can thus be used instead of ce-sium fluoride or potassium carbonate. Cesium fluoride is very hygroscopic and potassium carbonate is generally used in equimolar amounts. The efficiency of catalytic amounts of cesium carbonate is demonstrated by the synthesis of poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) and poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone) examples.