Poly(arylacetylene) molding compositions

The process of preparing a thermoset resin essentially free pf aliphatic unsaturation which comprises (1) in a first stage (a) preparing a prepolymer by polymerizing at least one polyacetylenically substituted aromatic compound by heating said compound with an aromatization catalyst in an inert organic diluent to a temperature of from about 55.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. until from about 30% to about 90% of said compound has been converted to polymer, said compound being selected from the group consisting of diethynylbenzene;

• diethynyltoluene;
• diethynylxylene;
• diethynylbiphenyl;
• 9,10-diethynylanthracene;
• 9,10-diethynylphenanthrene;
• di(ethynylphenyl)ether;
• 1-chloro-2,5-diethynylbenzene;
• 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-diethynylbenzene;
• 4,4'-diethynyl-trans-azobenzene;
• diphenylbutadiyne;
• 2,2'-dichlorodiphenyldiacetylene;
• 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldiacetylene;
• 4,4'-dibromodiphenyldiacetylene;
• di-p-tolyldiacetylene;
• di-.alpha. -naphthyldiacetylene;
• dibenzyldiacetylene;
• 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene;
• 1,3-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene;
• 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene;
• 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene;
• 1,2,4-triethynylbenzene;
• 1,3,5-tris(phenylethynyl)2,4,6-triphenylbenzene;
• 1,2,4-tris(phenylethynyl)-3,5,6-triphenylbenzene and tris(ethylnylphenyl)benzene, (b) separating the prepolymer from the polymerization reaction mixture, and (2) in a second stage, (a) shaping a mixture of said prepolymer and from about 2 to about 70%, by weight of the prepolymer, of at least one monomeric acetylenically substituted aromatic compound having a melting point below about 185.degree. C. and a boiling point above about 250.degree. C. and being selected from the group consisting of .beta.-naphthylacetylene;
• biphenylacetylene;
• 4-ethynyl-trans-azobenzene;
• diphenylacetylene, di-o-tolyacetylene;
• di-m-tolyacetylene;
• bis(4-ethylphenyl)acetylene;
• bis(3,4-dimethylphenyl)acetylene;
• bis(4-chlorophenyl)acetylene;
• di(.alpha.-naphthyl)acetylene;
• .beta.-naphthylphenylacetylene;
• phenyl benzoyl acetylene;
• 1,4-diethynylnaphthalene;
• 9,10-diethynylanthracene;
• 9,10-diethynylphenanthrene;
• 4,4'-diethynylbiphenyl;
• 4,4'-diethynyl-trans-azobenzene;
• 4,4'-diethynyldiphenyl ether;
• 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-diethynylbenzene;
• diphenylbutadiyne;
• 2,2'-dichlorodiphenyldiacetylene;
• 3,3'-dichlorodiphenyldiacetylene;
• di-p-tolyldiacetylene;
• di-.alpha.-naphthyldiacetylene;
• dibenzyldiacetylene and diethynyldiphenyldiacetylene, and (b) heating the shaped mixture to a temperature of from about 100.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C.