High performance curable polymers and processes for the preparation thereof

A process which comprises reacting a polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with haloalkyl substituents thereon and of the formula

• 109
• wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is
• 110
• or mixtures thereof, B is
• 111
• wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 112
• wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20,
• 113
• wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 114
• wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 115
• or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with an allyl alcohol salt, thereby forming a photopatternable polymer with allyl ether functional groups corresponding to the selected salt.

A composition which comprises a crosslinked or chain extended polymer of the formula

• 116
• wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is
• 117
• or mixtures thereof, B is
• 118
• wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 119
• wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20,
• 120
• wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 121
• wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 122
• or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, said crosslinking or chain extension occurring through photosensitivity-imparting substituents contained on at least some of the monomer repeat units of the polymer which form crosslinks or chain extensions in the polymer upon exposure to actinic radiation, wherein the photosensitivity-imparting substituents are allyl ether groups or epoxy groups.

A composition which comprises a crosslinked or chain extended polymer of the formula

• 123
• wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is
• 124
• or mixtures thereof, B is
• 125
• wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 126
• wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20,
• 127
• wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 128
• wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 129
• or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, said crosslinking or chain extension occurring through linking groups formed by a reaction between epoxy groups contained on at least some of the monomer repeat units of the polymer and an amine curing agent.

A process which comprises reacting a polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with haloalkyl substituents thereon and of the formula

• 142
• wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is
• 143
• or mixtures thereof, B is
• 144
• wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 145
• wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20,
• 146
• wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 147
• wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20,
• 148
• or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, with an epoxy-group-containing alcohol salt, thereby forming a photopatternable polymer with epoxy functional groups corresponding to the selected salt.