The Oxidative Polycondensation of 4-[(Phenylimino) Methyl] Phenol Using NaOCl, Air Oxygen, and H₂O₂ at Alkaline and Neutral Medium: Synthesis and Characterization

In this study, the oxidative polycondensation reaction conditions of 4-[(phenylimino) methyl] phenol (4-PIMP) with air oxygen, H2O2, and NaOCl oxidants in aqueous alkaline and neutral medium between 50° and 90°C were examined. 4-PIMP and its condensation product, oligo-4-[(phenylimino) methyl] phenol (O-4-PIMP), were characterized by 1H-13C-NMR, FT-IR, UV-vis techniques, and elemental analysis. At the optimum reaction conditions, the yield of oligo-4-[(phenylimino) methyl] phenol was found to be 73% for NaOCl, 65% for air O2, and 70% for H2O2. According to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analyses, the number-average molecular weight (Mn), weight-average molecular weight (Mw), and polydispersity index (PDI) values of O-4-PIMP were 5268, 10320 g mol−1, and 1.959, respectively, using air O2; 8215, 17789 g mol−1, and 2.165, respectively, using NaOCl; and 4800, 5260 g mol−1, and 1.096, respectively, using H2O2. The carbon residues for 4-PIMP and O-4-PIMP were found to be 42.4% and 53.4%, respectiv...