Synthesis and properties of a new photostable polymer: Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bis-(N,N'-dodecylpolyimide)

The synthesis of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid-bis(N,N'-dodecylpolyimide)(poly PTDI) and polyamic acid has been achieved from perylene dianhydride and dodecylamine. It was found that this new polyimide has very high thermal photostability. Poly PTDI decomposes at 475 degrees C and shows weak fluorescence compared with the monomer PTDI possibly due to aggregration in the polymer. Its solubility in some of the common organic solvents, acetonitrile, dimethyl formamide, etc., makes spectroscopic and photochemical studies and applications possible in the liquid phase. The emission characteristics are similar to mono PTDI. Poly PTDI, a luminescent electron acceptor polymer, is a new reliable probe for a photosensitizer at energy transfer and electron transfer photochemical reactions. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.