Synthesis and characterization of the novel type of polymerizable bisphthalonitrile monomers

Abstract Three new bisphthalonitrile derivatives are prepared by the nucleophilic displacement of the nitrosubstituent from 4‐nitrophthalonitrile with 9,9‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)fluorene; 9,9‐bis(3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)fluorene, and phenolphthalein in the presence of potassium carbonate. The reaction has been carried out in dimethylsulfoxide solvent. These monomers are characterized by elemental analysis, FT‐IR, 1 H NMR, TGA, DSC, and mass spectral studies. A tentative mechanism for the fragmentation of the compounds is given to explain the mass spectral data. The compounds are expected to be useful to prepare thermally stable thermosetting phthalocyanine polymers.