Aromatic, microporous polymer networks with high surface area generated in Friedel–Crafts-type polycondensations

Abstract

A series of novel, microporous polymer networks (MPNs) have been generated in a simple, acid catalysed Friedel–Crafts-type self-condensation of A₂B₂- and A₂B₄-type fluorenone monomers. Two A₂B₄-type monomers with 2,7-bis(N,N-diphenylamino) A or 2,7-bis[4-(N,N-diphenylamino)phenyl] D substitution of the fluorenone cores lead to MPNs with high S_BET surface areas of up to 1400 m² g⁻¹. Two MPNs made of binary monomer mixtures showed the highest Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas S_BET of our series (S_BET of up to 1800 m² g⁻¹) after washing the powdery samples with supercritical carbon dioxide. Total pore volumes of up to 1.6 cm³ g⁻¹ have been detected. It is observed that the substitution pattern of the monomers is strongly influencing the resulting physicochemical properties of the microporous polymer networks (MPNs).