Towards chiral microporous soluble polymers--binaphthalene-based polyimides

Recently, intrinsically microporous polymers have received increased interest in research. Contrary to currently commercially used microporous materials, e.g., zeolithes or polymer networks, they can be dissolved, processed and further functionalized. Microporous poly(imide)s are especially interesting, as they are chemically and thermally resistant to decomposition up to high temperatures. In this paper, we report for the first time on a chiral poly(imide) which is intrinsically microporous and soluble in common solvents. After analysing the structure of the polymer, its pore system is characterised via its ability to adsorb nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Furthermore, the chiral polymer is compared with its racemic counterpart, illustrating the special role of an organised superstructure.