Alkyne metal polymers

Bunz UHF (2003) In Grubbs RH (ed) Handbook of metathesis. WUey-VCH, 3 354-370 Acyclic diyne metathesis utilizing in situ transition metal catalysts an efficient access to alkyne-bridged polymers... 

With the rich chemical properties of alkyne monomers, polymers with rare and complicated stmctures can be designed and synthesized via alkyne-based polymerizations. For instance, polyamidines are a series of important polymers with potential roles as biomaterials, metallic conductors, and photosensitive semiconductors their syntheses are limited to two-component, step-growth polymerization reactions [37, 38]. An efficient Cu-catalyzed MCR of alkynes, sulfonyl azides, and amines was recently reported by Chang and coworkers to afford a library of small-molecule amidines [3, 5], The reaction undergoes a Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne... 

Oligomerization and polymerization of terminal alkynes may provide materials with interesting conductivity and (nonlinear) optical properties. Phenylacetylene and 4-ethynyltoluene were polymerized in water/methanol homogeneous solutions and in water/chloroform biphasic systems using [RhCl(CO)(TPPTS)2] and [IrCl(CO)(TPPTS)2] as catalysts [37], The complexes themselves were rather inefficient, however, the catalytic activity could be substantially increased by addition of MesNO in order to remove the carbonyl ligand from the coordination sphere of the metals. The polymers obtained had an average molecular mass of = 3150-16300. The rhodium catalyst worked at room temperature providing polymers with cis-transoid structure, while [IrCl(CO)(TPPTS)2] required 80 °C and led to the formation of frani -polymers. 

In this review, well-defined metal-containing PAEs are described whose primary structure is represented by one of the schematic drawings A-C and E shown in Fig. 2. In contrast to the structures shown in the A-C systems, E has a conjugated phenyleneethynylene with metal chelates as end groups. PAEs containing metal complex as side groups (D) have, up to now, not been described in the literature. The classes of compounds such as metal-bridged alkynes, the poly(metallayne)s, and polymer carbyne complexes (structures G and H) do not in fact represent PAEs. 

The activation barrier for the oligomerization of alkynes may be overcome thermally or catalytically. Because the classical thermal transformation of ethyne into benzene in a hot tube is rather ineffective (47), more emphasis has been placed on working out catalytic routes for the synthesis of linear oligomers, cyclooligomers, and polymers. Transition metal compounds have proved to act as effective catalysts in homogeneous as well as in heterogeneous processes (48). 

For olefins, cyclic, or better hi- or tricyclic ring structures with large ring strain (norborn-2-enes or norbornadienes for instance) are required. Alternatively, 1-alkynes can be used. In this case, the term 1-alkyne polymerization applies. This reaction proceeds via a- or j6-insertion of the alkyne into the metal-carbon double bond (Scheme 1). Both insertion mechanisms lead to a conjugated polymer. With a few exceptions [1-3], polymerizations based on a-insertion are the preferred ones, since they offer better control over molecular weights due to favorable values of kj/kp (ki, kp = rate constants of initiation and propagation, respectively). 

Mechanistic studies revealed that alkyne metathesis and ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cycloalkynes proceed via metal carbyne complexes,217 218 which is also supported by theoretical studies.219 The polymerization of PhC=CMe with NbCIs or TaCIs yields a polymer that degrades to oligomers as a result of secondary metathesis reaction. A stable polymer, however, may be synthesized with TaCIs and Ph4Sn as a cocatalyst.220... 

Metal activation, and sonochemistry, 1, 314 Metal alkoxides, synthesis, 12, 51 Metal-to-alkyne ligand charge-transfer transitions, rigid-rod transition metal—acetylide polymers,... 

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