Synthesis of asymmetric bisphenol monomers with biphenyl groups by the Suzuki reaction of bis(4-benzyloxyphenyl)borinic acid in aqueous solvents

ORGN 368

Jiangtao Hao1, David A. Boyles1, and John T. Bendler2. (1) Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St. Joseph, Rapid City, SD 57701, (2) Physics Department, United States Naval Academy, 572 M Holloway Road, Michelson Hall, Annapolis, MD 21401
A new synthetic route was developed for the synthesis of 4'-[1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methylethyl]biphenyl-4-ol, a potentially important high performance polymer building block. This new route utilized the modified Suzuki reaction of bis(4-benzyloxyphenyl)borinic acid, which was developed during the course of this research for the synthesis of this and similar monomers. Both aryl groups of the diarylborinic acid have been demonstrated to be transferable using Pd(PPh3)4 as catalyst under aqueous conditions with THF and sodium hydroxide as base. In the same way, the hexafluoro monomer 4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-trifluoromethylethyl]biphenyl-4-ol was synthesized in high yield.