The chemistry of a well established class of compounds, known as Reissert compounds, was used to prepare several novel N-heterocyclic polymers. Initially, alkylation of quinoline Reissert compounds was closely examined to test the feasibility of the use of such compounds as difunctional monomers. An A-B and an A-A monomer were then prepared by the reaction of quinoline with p-formylbenzoyl chloride and isophthaloyl chloride, respectively. The former monomer could be polymerized interfacially to afford a low molecular weight polyester exhibiting Tg of 190°C.

Several novel bis-isoquinolines were prepared using an en amine reaction reported by Minter and Re.52 One of these bis-isoquinolines was used to prepare two novel bis-Reissert compounds which could be polymerized with several dialdehydes to obtain high molecular weight N-heterocyclic polyesters. Cleavage of the ester groups afforded a novel N-heterocyclic polyalcohol. It was observed that circumvention of a rearrangement reaction particular to Reissert compounds by molecular design led to the synthesis of N-heterocyclic polyesters that had the highest molecular weights and intrinsic viscosities.

A novel N-heterocyclic difluorodiketone was prepared in four steps using the enamine reaction of Minter and Re52 and Reissert compound chemistry. The diketone was polymerized via standard techniques 72 to afford several novel poly(N-heteroaryl-ether-ketones) with high glass transition temperatures and thermal stabilities. Thus, polymerization of 1,4-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)isoquinoline with biphenol yielded a poly(ether-ketone) with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.34 dl/g. This polymer showed Tg at 209°C and was stable up to 500°C in air.