Abstract: A process is provided for producing aromatic polysulfones which contain repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## wherein each R is ortho to the sulfone, at least one R per polymer chain is an aliphatic or aromatic substituent, a heteroatom or heteroatom-containing group or a metal or metal-containing group, with any remainder thereof being hydrogen, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents alkyl or aryl, each R.sub.s is hydrogen, and n is zero or one. The process comprises:(a) metalating (e.g. lithiating) a polysulfone, preferably dissolved in a solvent, containing repeating units of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.s and n are as defined above, so as to form a metalated (e.g. lithiated) polymer containing repeating units of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.s and n are as defined above, at least one M per polymer chain is metal l(e.g. lithium), with any remainder thereof being hydrogen; and(b) Quenching the metalated (e.g.

Abstract: Novel substituted aromatic polysulfones are disclosed which contain repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## wherein each R represents hydrogen or a substituent, such as an aliphatic or aromatic substituent, a heteroatom or heteroatom-containing group or a metal-containing group, at least one of the groups R being other than hydrogen in some repeating units of the polymer chain, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents alkyl or aryl, each R.sub.s is the same or different and represents hydrogen or one or more noninterfering substituents, and n is zero or one. The substituted polysulfones (I) are useful materials which exhibit improved or modified physical, mechanical and chemical properties, such as glass transition temperature, hydrophilicity, lipophilicity, solubility, processability or resistance to chemicals. Also disclosed are processes for the preparation of the novel compounds (I) involving lithiated intermediates.

Abstract: An aromatic ionomeric copolymer having arylether and arylsulfone linkages has been prepared by condensation of both:(a) The alkali metal bisphenate salts of 9,9-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl-fluoren-4-carboxylic acid, optionally with up to 99 mol percent of another dihydric phenol based on the combined bisphenates in the mixture;and(b) dihalodiphenylsulfones where the halogen is selected from chlorine or fluorine.The copolymers are useful inter alia as ion exchange materials and permselective membranes.A process of preparing and purifying the carboxylic acid containing bisphenol monomer is described.