Alcohol soluble benzazole polymers

An organic/inorganic hybrid material having transparency which comprises the sol-gel derived, hydrolytically condensed reaction product of a metal alkoxide of the formula M(OQ)w wherein Q is --CH.sub.3 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5, M is Si, Ti, Al or a mixture thereof, and w is the valence value of M, and a polymer having repeating units of the formula:

• ##STR9## wherein X is --O-- or --S--, and R is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR10## and R' is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, alkaryl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, aralkyl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms and substituted aromatic having 1 to 3 substituent groups selected from the group consisting of nitro, ethynyl and phenylethynyl.

A method for coating a substrate with a polymer having repeating units of the formula:

• ##STR11## wherein X is --O-- or --S--, and R is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR12## which comprises (i) reacting the polymer with an amine NR'.sub.3 in a lower alkyl alcohol solvent, wherein R' is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, alkaryl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, aralkyl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms and substituted aromatic having 1 to 3 substituent groups selected from the group consisting of nitro, ethynyl and phenylethynyl, (ii) coating the resulting solution onto a substrate, (iii) removing the alcohol solvent and (iv) removing the amine.

A method for coating a substrate with a polymer having repeating units of the formula:

• ##STR13## wherein X is --O-- or --S--, and R is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR14## and NR".sub.3 is a non-volatile amine wherein R" is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, alkaryl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, aralkyl having 7 to 12 carbon atoms and substituted aromatic having 1 to 3 substituent groups selected from the group consisting of nitro, ethynyl and phenylethynyl, which comprises (i) reacting the polymer:
• ##STR15## wherein R and X are as previously defined, with a volatile amine NR'.sub.3, wherein R' is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, in a lower alkyl alcohol solvent, (ii) exchanging a less volatile amine NR".sub.3 for said volatile amine NR'.sub.3, (iii) removing the volatile amine NR'.sub.3, (iv) coating the resulting solution onto a substrate, and (v) removing the alcohol solvent.