Abstract
2,6‐Bis(β‐naphthoxy)benzonitrile (BNOBN) was synthesized by reaction of β‐naphthol with 2,6‐difluorobenzonitrile in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) in the presence of KOH and K~2~CO~3~. Poly(ether ketone ether ketone ketone)(PEKEKK) /poly(ether ether ketone ketone) (PEEKK) copolymers containing naphthalene and pendant cyano groups were obtained by electrophilic Friedel‐Crafts polycondensation of terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) with varying mole proportions of 4,4′‐diphenoxybenzophenone (DPOBP) and 2,6‐bis(β‐naphthoxy)benzonitrile (BNOBN) using 1,2‐dichloroethane (DCE) as solvent and NMP as Lewis base in the presence of anhydrous AlCl~3~. The resulting polymers were characterized by various analytical techniques, such as FTIR, DSC, TG, and WAXD. The results indicated that the crystallinity and melting temperature of the polymers decreased with increase in concentration of the BNOBN units in the polymer, the glass transition temperature of the polymers increased with increase in concentration of the BNOBN units in the polymer. Thermogravimetric studies showed that all the polymers were stable up to 536°C in N~2~ atmosphere. The copolymers have good resistance to acidity, alkali, and organic solvents. Because of the melting temperature (T~m~) depression with increase in the BNOBN content in the reaction system, the processability of the resultant coplymers could be effectively improved. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009