Carbon-linked 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) oligomers contain at least one first HMF unit and one second HMF unit. The first and second HMF units are linked by a carbon-carbon bond with involvement of an aromatically bound carbon atom at position 3 or 4 of the furan ring of the first HMF unit. The HMF oligomers may be used as reactive carbonyl compounds in the manufacture of thermally curable resins on the basis of phenolic compounds and/or aminoplastic forming agents as well as in the manufacture of wood composite products.

A process includes providing furan-2,5-dicarboxylic dimethyl ester (FDME), reacting the FDME with a Grignard reagent to form a bis-alkylketone furan having R groups selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 linear alkyl chain, a C.sub.2-C.sub.24 branched alkyl chain, and a hydrogen atom. An additional process includes mixing a 3,4-dibrominated bis-alkylketone furan with potassium carbonate, and adding ethyl-mercaptoacetate to the mixture. This process also includes stirring the mixture to form a bis-alkyl-DTF diester fused ring structure, which is then brominated to form a dibromo-DTF compound.

Crosslinked polymers and related compositions and related compositions, electrochemical cells, batteries, methods and systems are described. The crosslinked polymers have at least one redox active monomeric moiety having a redox potential of 0.5 V to 3.0 V with reference to Li/Li.sup.+ electrode potential under standard conditions or 2.54 V to 0.04 V vs. SHE and has a carbocyclic structure and at least one carbonyl group or a carboxyl group on the carbocyclic structure. The crosslinked polymers also include at least one comonomeric moiety with at least one of the at least one redox active monomeric moiety and/or the at least one comonomeric moiety has a denticity of three to six corresponding to a three to six connected network polymer, and provide stable, high capacity organic electrode materials.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass a variety of polymers derived from polycyclic olefin monomers, such as hydrocarbon functionalized norbornenes. The polymers so formed function as ionomers and are suitable as anion exchange membrane for fabricating a variety of electrochemical devices, among others. More specifically, the ionomeric polymers used herein are derived from a variety of quaternized amino functionalized norbornene monomers and are lightly crosslinked (less than ten mol %). The membranes made therefrom exhibit very high ionic conductivity of up to 198 mS/cm at 80 C. This invention also relates to using an anion conducting solid polymer electrolyte as the ion conducting medium between the two electrodes and the ion conducting medium within the electrodes acting as the ionic conduit between electroactive material and electrolyte. The electrochemical devices made in accordance of this invention are useful as fuel cells, gas separators, and the like.

A composition for forming an electroactive coating includes an acid as a polymerization catalyst, at least one functional component, and at least one compound of formula (1) as a monomer:

##STR00001##

wherein X is selected from S, O, Se, Te, PR.sup.2 and NR.sup.2, Y is hydrogen (H) or a precursor of a good leaving group Y.sup. whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 45, Z is hydrogen (H), silyl, or a good leaving group whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 45, b is 0, 1 or 2, each R.sup.1 is a substituent, and the at least one compound of formula (1) includes at least one compound of formula (1) with ZH and YH.

A process includes providing furan-2,5-dicarboxylic dimethyl ester (FDME), reacting the FDME with a Grignard reagent to form a bis-alkylketone furan having R groups selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 linear alkyl chain, a C.sub.2-C.sub.24 branched alkyl chain, and a hydrogen atom. An additional process includes mixing a 3,4-dibrominated bis-alkylketone furan with potassium carbonate, and adding ethyl-mercaptoacetate to the mixture. This process also includes stirring the mixture to form a bis-alkyl-DTF diester fused ring structure, which is then brominated to form a dibromo-DTF compound.

A composition for forming an electroactive coating includes an acid as a polymerization catalyst, at least one functional component, and at least one compound of formula (1) as a monomer: ##STR00001##
wherein X is selected from S, O, Se, Te, PR.sup.2 and NR.sup.2, Y is hydrogen (H) or a precursor of a good leaving group Y.sup. whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 45, Z is hydrogen (H), silyl, or a good leaving group whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 45, b is 0, 1 or 2, each R.sup.1 is a substituent, and the at least one compound of formula (1) includes at least one compound of formula (1) with ZH and YH.

This invention relates to compositions of conducting polymers and their producing methods and applications in sensing technology. The present conducting polymer comprises an electron deficient and an electron rich building block in an alternated repeating unit which can function as sensors to detect, qualify or quantify analytes in fluid and exhibit chemiresistive property and stable performance in normal room temperature and air pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides compositions of conducting polymers and devices comprising the present compositions or conducting polymers for sensor application. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods of detecting target molecules using compositions, conducting polymers or devices of the present invention. The target molecules include without limitation volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are indicative of the presence or stage or a disease, or indicative of a health status of a subject.

A composition for forming an electroactive coating is described, including an acid as a polymerization catalyst, at least one functional component, and at least one compound of formula (1) as a monomer: ##STR00001##
wherein X is selected from S, O, Se, Te, PR.sup.2 and NR.sup.2, Y is hydrogen (H) or a precursor of a good leaving group Y.sup. whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 30, Z is hydrogen (H), silyl, or a good leaving group whose conjugate acid (HY) has a pK.sub.a of less than 30, b is 0, 1 or 2, each R.sup.1 is a substituent, and the at least one compound of formula (1) includes at least one compound of formula (1) with Z=H and YH.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass a variety of polymers derived from polycyclic olefin monomers, such as hydrocarbon functionalized norbornenes. The polymers so formed function as ionomers and are suitable as anion exchange membrane for fabricating a variety of electrochemical devices, among others. More specifically, the ionomeric polymers used herein are derived from a variety of quaternized amino functionalized norbornene monomers and are lightly crosslinked (less than ten mol %). The membranes made therefrom exhibit very high ionic conductivity of up to 198 mS/cm at 80? C. This invention also relates to using an anion conducting solid polymer electrolyte as the ion conducting medium between the two electrodes and the ion conducting medium within the electrodes acting as the ionic conduit between electroactive material and electrolyte. The electrochemical devices made in accordance of this invention are useful as fuel cells, gas separators, and the like.