Polymerization method and polymers formed therewith

1. A polymerization method comprising the step of contacting a liquid monomer composition with a basic catalyst, wherein the monomer composition comprises at least one compound of formula F—X—F and at least one compound of formula (R 1 ) 3 Si—Z—Si(R 1 ) 3 ; wherein:

each R 1 independently is a hydrocarbyl group;

X has the formula -A(-R 2 -A)n-;

each A independently is SO 2 , C(═O), or Het;

R 2 comprises a first organic moiety;

n is 0 or 1;

Het is an aromatic heterocycle comprising at least two carbon atoms and at least one nitrogen atom in a heteroaromatic ring thereof, and when A is Het, the F substituent is attached to a carbon atom of the heteroaromatic ring thereof;

Z has the formula -L-R 3 -L-;

each L independently is O, S, or N(R 4 );

R 3 comprises a second organic moiety;

each R 4 independently is H or a third organic moiety; and

wherein the F and (R 1 ) 3 Si substituents form a silyl fluoride byproduct of formula (R 1 ) 3 Si—F as the respective A and L groups of said compounds condense to form an X—Z polymer chain; and wherein the basic catalyst comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of an amidine, a guanidine, a phosphazene, a nitrogen heterocyclic carbene, and a tertiary alkoxide.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each R 1 independently is an alkyl or aryl group;

X has the formula -A(-R 2 -A)n-;

each A is SO 2 ;

R 2 comprises a first organic moiety;

n is 0 or 1;

Z has the formula -L-R 3 -L-;

each L independently is O; and

R 3 comprises a second organic moiety comprising at least one aryl or heteroaryl group directly bonded to each L.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the n is 0.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein Het is a 1,3,5-triazine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the monomer composition includes a compound in which X includes an additional F substituent on a sulfonyl, carbonyl, or heteroaryl activating group, such that the additional F substituent also reacts with a (R 1 ) 3 Si substituent on an oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atom linking group, to form a silyl fluoride, and the activating group condenses with the linking group to introduce a branch point in the polymer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the monomer composition includes a compound in which Z includes an additional silyl substituent, (R 1 ) 3 Si, on an oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atom linking group, such that the additional silyl substituent also reacts with a F substituent on a sulfonyl, carbonyl, or heteroaryl activating group, to form a silyl fluoride and the linking group condenses with the activating group to introduce a branch point in the polymer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein n is 1; R 2 is -L 1 -R 5 -L 1 -; each L 1 independently is selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N(R 4 ); and each R 4 independently is H or the third organic moiety, and R 5 comprises an organic moiety.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the basic catalyst is a phosphazene.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the basic catalyst is a guanidine.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the basic catalyst is a nitrogen-heterocyclic carbene.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each A is SO 2 .

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each R 2 comprises an aryl or heteroaryl moiety either directly bonded to A or bonded to A via an oxygen atom attached to the aryl or heteroaryl moiety.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the X-Z polymer chain is represented by a formula selected from the group consisting of:

(-A(-R 2 -A)n-L-R 3 -L)x-;  Formula (I):

(-A-R 2 -A-L-R 3 -L)y-;  Formula (II):

(-A-L 1 -R 5 -L 1 -A-L-R 3 -L)z-;  Formula (III):

(-A-L 1 -R 5 -A-L-R 3 -L)m-;  Formula (IV):

(-A-L-R 3 -L)p-; and  Formula (V):

(-A-R 2 -A-L-R 3 -L)a-(-A-L 1 -R 5 -L 1 -A-L-R 3 -L)b-(A-L 1 -R 5 -A-L-R 3 -L)c-(-A-L-R 3 -L)d-;  Formula (VI):

wherein:

each A independently is SO 2 , C(═O), or Het;

each L and L 1 independently is O, S, or N(R 4 );

each R 2 and R 5 independently comprises a first organic moiety;

each R 3 comprises a second organic moiety;

each R 4 independently is H or a third organic moiety;

each n independently is 0 or 1;

each Het independently is an aromatic heterocycle comprising at least two carbon atoms and at least one nitrogen atom in a heteroaromatic ring thereof, and when A is Het, the F substituent is attached to a carbon atom of the heteroaromatic ring thereof;

each of x, y, z, m, and p is the average number of repeating units in the X-Z polymer chain and has a value of at least 10; and

each of a, b, c, and d is the average number of respective repeating units, and independently can be 0 or greater, provided the sum of a, b, c, and d is at least 10.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 , comprises a moiety selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon, a heterocycle, a carbohydrate, an amino acid, a polypeptide, a peptide analog, and a combination of two or more thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 is substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halogen, nitro, —C(O)R 6 , —C(O)OR 6 , —C(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —CN, —SO v R 6 , —SO v N(R 6 ) 2 , R 6 SO v N(R 6 )—, —N(R 6 )SO v R 6 , —SO 3 R 6 , —N(R 6 ) 2 , —N(R 6 )OR 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)R 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —OC(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —OC(O)OR 6 , azido, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, fluoroalkyl, fluoroalkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, poly(ethyleneoxy), alkynyl-terminated poly(ethyleneoxy), a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, an amino acid, and a polypeptide; wherein each R 6 independently is H, alkyl, or aryl, and v is 0, 1, or 2.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the monomer composition comprises (a) two or more different compounds of formula F—X—F, (b) two or more different compounds of formula (R 1 ) 3 Si—Z—Si(R 1 ) 3 , or (c) c combination of both (a) and (b).

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the two or more different compounds of formula (R 1 ) 3 Si—Z—Si(R 1 ) 3 differ by the selection of R 1 , Z, or both R 1 and Z.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the monomer composition comprises at least one compound of Formula VII and at least one compound of Formula VIII:

wherein each R 1 independently is an alkyl or aryl group, and each R 9 independently is a covalent bond, C(CH 3 ) 2 , C(CF 3 ) 2 , or SO 2 .

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid monomer composition comprises a mixture of the monomers dissolved in a solvent.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid monomer composition comprises a melted mixture of the monomers.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the F—X—F compound comprises sulfuryl fluoride (FSO 2 F).

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the F—X—F compound comprises a bisfluorosulfonyl monomer of formula F—SO 2 —CH 2 CH 2 —N(R 11 )—CH 2 CH 2 —SO 2 —F, wherein R 11 comprises an organic moiety.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein R 11 comprises a moiety selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon, a heterocycle, a carbohydrate, an amino acid, a polypeptide, a peptide analog, and a combination of two or more thereof.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein R 11 is substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halogen, nitro, —C(O)R 6 , —C(O)OR 6 , —C(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —CN, —SO v R 6 , —SO v N(R 6 ) 2 , R 6 SO v N(R 6 )—, —N(R 6 )SO v R 6 , —SO 3 R 6 , —N(R 6 ) 2 , —N(R 6 )OR 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)R 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 6 , —N(R 6 )C(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —OC(O)N(R 6 ) 2 , —OC(O)OR 6 , azido, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, fluoroalkyl, fluoroalkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, poly(ethyleneoxy), alkynyl-terminated poly(ethyleneoxy), a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, an amino acid, and a polypeptide; wherein each R 6 independently is H, alkyl, or aryl, and v is 0, 1, or 2.