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Reference.org
Polyphenyl ether
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<p>Phenyl ether polymers are a class of <a href="/facts/Polymer/eF32E50K">polymers</a> that contain a <a href="/facts/Phenol/ACJs5NIU">phenoxy</a> or a <a href="/facts/Thiophenol/NDvtsq0E">thiophenoxy</a> group as the repeating group in <a href="/facts/Ether/jwDg0IKr">ether</a> linkages. Commercial phenyl ether polymers belong to two chemical classes: polyphenyl ethers (PPEs) and <a href="/facts/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide)/hx83PplT">polyphenylene oxides</a> (PPOs). The phenoxy groups in the former class of polymers do not contain any substituents whereas those in the latter class contain 2 to 4 alkyl groups on the phenyl ring. The structure of an oxygen-containing PPE is provided in Figure 1 and that of a 2, 6-xylenol derived PPO is shown in Figure 2. Either class can have the oxygen atoms attached at various positions around the rings. </p>