A method of forming a poly (ether ketone ketone), (PEKK) polymer, comprising at least one recurring unit (RMPEKK) and at least one recurring unit (RPPEKK), the method comprising:
- reacting, in a reaction mixture, a blend of one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomer and one or more bis (halobenzoyl) benzene monomers in the presence of Na2CO3, K2CO3 and a solvent, wherein
- Σ=(% Na2CO3−105)+6* |% K2CO3−1|+0.25* |37−% Monomers|−% XSDFDK, ( (EQ1)
- 0% ≤% K2CO3<5%, (EQ2),
- 0% ≤ % XSDFDK, (EQ3) and
- 25% ≤% Monomers≤44%, (EQ4)
- wherein:
- Σ<6
- % Na2CO3 is the concentration, in mol %, of Na2CO3, relative to the number of moles of the one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers;
- % K2CO3 is the concentration, in mol %, of K2CO3, relative to the number of moles of the one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers and where % K2CO3 ranges from 0 mol % to less than 5 mol %;
- % Monomers is the total concentration, in wt. %, of the one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers and the one or more bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers, relative to the total weight of the one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers, the one or more bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers and solvent and where % Monomers is from 25 wt. % to 44 wt. %
- % XSDFDK is the concentration, in mol %, of the one or more bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers in excess of an equimolar concentration of the one or more bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers, and
- wherein,
- each bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomer and each bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomer is distinctly and independently represented by a formula selected from the following group of formulae:
- X5-Mm-X5, formula (13) and
- X6-Mp-X6, formula (14)
- wherein X5 and X6 are an -OH for bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers and X5 and X6 are a halogen for bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers, and
- Mm and Mp are represented by the following formulae, respectively,
- wherein R1 and R2, at each instance, is independently selected from the group consisting of an alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkynyl, an aryl, an ether, a thioether, a carboxylic acid, an ester, an amide, an imide, an alkali or alkaline earth metal sulfonate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkali or alkaline earth metal phosphonate, an alkyl phosphonate, an amine, and a quaternary ammonium;
- and i and j, at each instance, is an independently selected integer ranging from 0 to 4 and
- wherein the ratio of the total number of moles of 1,4-bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers and 1,4-bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers that are represented by Formula (14) to the total number of moles of 1,3-bis(hydroxybenzoyl) benzene monomers and 1,3-bis(halobenzoyl) benzene monomers that are represented by Formula (13) (“(RPPEKK)/(RMPEKK) ratio”) is from 55/45 to 75/25 and wherein
- each recurring unit (RMPEKK) and each recurring unit (RPPEKK) are represented by the following formulae, respectively,
- - [-Mm-O-]-, formula (1) and
- - [-Mp-O-]- formula (2).