Copolymers of perfluorotrivinyltriazine compounds and methods for synthesizing the copolymers

1. A copolymer comprising copolymerized units of a perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer of formula (1):

wherein the three R f groups are the same or different, and wherein the three R f groups are selected from the group consisting of —(CF 2 ) n —, wherein 1≤n≤6;

—(CF 2 ) m —[OCF(CF 3 )CF 2 ] P —, wherein 1≤m≤4 and 1≤p≤4; and

—[(CF(CF 3 )—O) x —(CF 2 ) k ]—, wherein 1≤x≤3 and 1≤n≤6; and

further comprising copolymerized units of one or more one or more cure-site monomers selected from the group consisting of bromotetrafluoro-1-butene (BTFB); iodotetrafluoro-1-butene (ITFB);

and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-((1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoro-3-((1,2,2-trifluorovinyl)oxy) propan-2-yl)oxy)ethane-1-sulfonyl azide (8-SAVE); said copolymer comprising no unreacted nitrile groups or a quantity of unreacted nitrile groups that is not detectable by infrared spectroscopy.

2. The copolymer of claim 1 , further comprising copolymerized units of one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE); vinylidene fluoride (VF2); hexafluoropropylene (HFP); vinyl fluoride (VF); 3-[1[difluoro[(trifluoroethenyl)oxy]methyl]-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy]-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-, methyl ester (EVE); perfluoro-2-(2-fluorosulfonylethoxy) propyl vinyl ether (PSEPVE); perfluoro-(long chain vinyl ethers); ethylene (E); propylene (P); perfluorobutyl ethylene (PFBE); perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) (PEVE); 9,9-dihydro-9-hydroxyperfluoro(3,6-dioxa-5-methyl-1-nonene (EVE-OH); 1-propanol, 3-[1[difluoro[trifluoroethenyl) oxy]methyl]-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy]-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-, dihydrogen phosphate (EVE-P); 1,3-dioxole, 4,5-difluoro-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl) (PDD); perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE); perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE); and 2-(difluoromethylene)-4,4,5-trifluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (PMD).

3. The copolymer of claim 2 , wherein the one or more comonomers are selected from the group consisting of TFE, HFP, PMVE, PPVE, and VF2.

4. The copolymer of claim 2 , selected from the group consisting of dipolymers consisting of copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE or copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with VF2; terpolymers consisting of copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and HFP, copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and VF2, copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and PPVE, or copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and PMVE; and copolymers of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE, VF2 and PMVE.

5. The copolymer of claim 1 , comprising from about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99.5 wt % to about 75 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

6. The copolymer of claim 1 , comprising from about from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99 to about 90 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

7. The copolymer of claim 1 , comprising from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99 to about 95 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

8. A copolymer comprising copolymerized units of a perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer of formula (1):

wherein the three R f groups are the same or different, and wherein the three R f groups are selected from the group consisting of —(CF 2 ) n —, wherein 1<n<6;

—(CF 2 ) m —[OCF(CF)CF 2 ] p —, wherein 1≤m≤4 and 1≤p≤4; and

—[(CF(CF 3 )—O) x —(CF 2 ) k ]—, wherein 1≤x≤3 and 1≤k≤5; and

further comprising copolymerized units of one or more one or more cure-site monomers selected from the group consisting of bromotetrafluoro-1-butene (BTFB); iodotetrafluoro-1-butene (ITFB); 3-(1-[difluoro((trifluoroethenyl)oxy)-methyl)-1,2,2,2,-tetrafluoroethoxy)-2,2,3,3,-tetrafluoropropane nitrile (8-CNVE);

and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-((1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoro-3-((1,2,2-trifluorovinyl)oxy) propan-2-yl)oxy)ethane-1-sulfonyl azide (8-SAVE); said copolymer comprising unreacted pendant perfluorovinyl groups in a finite amount up to 200 mol %, based on the total number of moles of copolymerized residues of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1), said unreacted perfluorovinyl groups being pendant from the triazine ring of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1).

9. The copolymer of claim 8 , comprising unreacted pendant perfluorovinyl groups in an amount of 1 mol % to 199 mol %.

10. The copolymer of claim 8 , comprising unreacted pendant perfluorovinyl groups in an amount of 100 mol % to 150 mol %.

11. The copolymer of claim 8 , further comprising copolymerized units of one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE); vinylidene fluoride (VF2); hexafluoropropylene (HFP); vinyl fluoride (VF); 3-[1[difluoro[(trifluoroethenyl)oxy]methyl]-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy]-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-, methyl ester (EVE); perfluoro-2-(2-fluorosulfonylethoxy) propyl vinyl ether (PSEPVE); perfluoro-(long chain vinyl ethers); ethylene (E); propylene (P); perfluorobutyl ethylene (PFBE); perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) (PEVE); 9,9-dihydro-9-hydroxyperfluoro(3,6-dioxa-5-methyl-1-nonene (EVE-OH); 1-propanol, 3-[1 [difluoro[trifluoroethenyl) oxy]methyl]-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy]-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-, dihydrogen phosphate (EVE-P); 1,3-dioxole, 4,5-difluoro-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl) (PDD); perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE); perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE); and 2-(difluoromethylene)-4,4,5-trifluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (PMD).

12. The copolymer of claim 11 , wherein the one or more comonomers are selected from the group consisting of TFE, HFP, PMVE, PPVE, and VF2.

13. The copolymer of claim 11 , selected from the group consisting of dipolymers consisting of copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE or copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with VF2; terpolymers consisting of copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and HFP, copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and VF2, copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and PPVE, or copolymerized units of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE and PMVE; and copolymers of the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1) with TFE, VF2 and PMVE.

14. The copolymer of claim 8 , comprising from about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99.5 wt % to about 75 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

15. The copolymer of claim 8 , comprising from about from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99 to about 90 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

16. The copolymer of claim 8 , comprising from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % of copolymerized units of perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer (1); and, complementarily, from about 99 to about 95 wt % of copolymerized units of one or more comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomer.

17. A process for producing a cross-linked fluoroelastomer, said process comprising the steps of:

a) providing a perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer of formula (1):

wherein the three R f groups are the same or different, and wherein the three R f groups are selected from the group consisting of —(CF 2 ) n — (n=1-6); —(CF 2 ) m —[OCF(CF 3 )CF 2 ] p — (m=1-4, p=1-4); and

[(CF(CF 3 )—O) x —(CF 2 ) k ]—, wherein 1≤x≤3 and 1≤k≤5;

b) providing one or more other comonomers;

c) providing one or more one or more cure-site monomers selected from the group consisting of bromotetrafluoro-1-butene (BTFB); iodotetrafluoro-1-butene (ITFB); 3-(1-[difluoro((trifluoroethenyl)oxy)-methyl)-1,2,2,2,-tetrafluoroethoxy)-2,2,3,3,-tetrafluoropropane nitrile (8-CNVE); and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-((1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoro-3-((1,2,2-trifluorovinyl)oxy) propan-2-yl)oxy)ethane-1-sulfonyl azide (8-SAVE); and

d) reacting the perfluorotrivinyltriazine monomer of formula (1) with the one or more cure site monomers and with the one or more other comonomers to obtain the cross-linked fluoroelastomer.

18. A cross-linked fluoroelastomer that is the product of the process of claim 17 .