Arylene ether alcohol polymers

A process for preparing a polymer which comprises (1) providing a precursor polymer of the formula ##STR324## wherein A is ##STR325## B is ##STR326## wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR327## wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20, ##STR328## wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR329## wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR330## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each, independently of the other, are hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, or aryl groups, and p is an integer of 0 or 1, ##STR331## wherein p is an integer of 0 or 1,

• --(CH.sub.2 O).sub.t --
• wherein t is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR332## wherein (1) Z is ##STR333## wherein p is 0 or 1;
• (2) Ar is ##STR334## (3) G is an alkyl group selected from alkyl or isoalkyl groups containing from about 2 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• (4) Ar'is ##STR335## (5) X is ##STR336## wherein s is 0, 1, or 2, ##STR337## and (6) q is 0 or 1;
• or mixtures thereof, hydroxy-substituted, hydroxyalkyl-substituted, or hydroxyaryl-substituted derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, and (2) reacting the precursor polymer with borane, resulting in formation of a polymer of the formula ##STR338## wherein A is ##STR339## or a mixture of ##STR340## wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or mixtures thereof.

A process for preparing a polymer which comprises (1) providing a precursor polymer of the formula ##STR341## wherein A is ##STR342## B is ##STR343## wherein v is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR344## wherein z is an integer of from 2 to about 20, ##STR345## wherein u is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR346## wherein w is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR347## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each, independently of the other, are hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, or aryl groups, and p is an integer of 0 or 1, ##STR348## wherein p is an integer of 0 or 1,

• --(CH.sub.2 O).sub.t --
• wherein t is an integer of from 1 to about 20, ##STR349## wherein (1) Z is ##STR350## wherein p is 0 or 1;
• (2) Ar is ##STR351## (3) G is an alkyl group selected from alkyl or isoalkyl groups containing from about 2 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• (4) Ar'is ##STR352## (5) X is ##STR353## wherein s is 0, 1, or 2, ##STR354## and (6) q is 0 or 1;
• or mixtures thereof, hydroxy-substituted, hydroxyalkyl-substituted, or hydroxyaryl-substituted derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, (2) reacting the precursor polymer with a reagent of the formula RMgX, wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or mixtures thereof and X is a halogen atom, and (3) subsequent to step 2, adding water or acid to the polymer, thereby resulting in formation of a polymer of the formula ##STR355## wherein A is ##STR356## or a mixture of ##STR357## wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or mixtures there of.