Ion conducting polymers

A process for the preparation of a compound having the general formula (I):

• −O3S—R1—V1—R2—V2
• wherein
• R1 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 1 to 10 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• R2 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 6 to 20 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• V1 is a saturated or unsaturated, monocyclic or bicyclic ring system comprising 5 to 9 ring atoms, wherein at least 2 ring atoms are nitrogen atoms, said nitrogen atoms being comprised in the same cycle;
• V2 is a moiety comprising a carboxyl group and an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond,
• said process comprising:
• a) reacting a compound having a saturated or unsaturated, monocyclic or bicyclic ring system comprising 5 to 9 ring atoms, wherein at least 2 ring atoms are nitrogen atoms, said nitrogen atoms being comprised in the same cycle,
• with an alcohol having the structure:
• X′—R2—OH
• wherein
• X′ is halogen, and
• R2 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 6 to 20 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• b) reacting the product obtained from a) with a sultone;
• and
• c) reacting the product obtained from b) with a compound having the formula (IIa):
• 13
• wherein
• X is a halogen;
• and
• R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C4 alkyl, independently substituted or not substituted.

A process for producing an ion conducting membrane, comprising copolymerizing at least one copolymerizable surfactant with a copolymerizable monomer in a bicontinuous microemulsion polymerization mixture, said mixture comprising:

• i) about 15% to 50% by weight of water;
• ii) about 10% to 50% by weight of at least one copolymerizable surfactant having the formula (I):
• −O3S—R1—V1—R2—V2
• wherein
• R1 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 1 to 10 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• R2 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 6 to 20 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• V1 is a saturated or unsaturated, monocyclic or bicyclic ring system comprising 5 to 9 ring atoms, wherein at least 2 ring atoms are nitrogen atoms, said nitrogen atoms being comprised in the same cycle;
• V2 is a moiety comprising a carboxyl group and an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond;
• and
• iii) about 5% to 40% by weight of at least one copolymerizable monomer;
• wherein said weight percents are based on the total weight of the microemulsion.

An ion conducting membrane comprising a copolymer, wherein said copolymer comprises a monomer having the general formula (I):

• −O3S—R1—V1—R2—V2
• wherein
• R1 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 1 to 10 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• R2 is a hydrocarbon radical comprising 6 to 20 main chain carbon atoms, wherein hydrogen atoms bonded to the main chain carbon atoms are independently substituted or not substituted;
• V1 is a saturated or unsaturated, monocyclic or bicyclic ring system comprising 5 to 9 ring atoms, wherein at least 2 ring atoms are nitrogen atoms, said nitrogen atoms being comprised in the same cycle;
• V2 is a moiety comprising a carboxyl group and an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond.