Carborane-phosphazene polymers

This effect has also been observed in polyphosphazenes containing alkyl- or phenyl-carborane as pendent groups.12 A typical synthetic route to poly(phenyl-carboranyl-di-trifluoroethoxy-phosphazene) having pendent phenyl-carborane groups is shown in scheme 4. A substantial improvement in the thermal stability of the polymer was observed. This is attributed to a retardation of the ring-chain de-polymerization mechanism due to steric hindrance effects of the carborane units, inhibiting helical coil formation. 

The halogen atoms remaining can then be replaced by organic residues such as trifluoroethoxy units. High polymers can also be prepared by ring-opening polymerization of the chlorocyclo-phosphazene, XXVIII. Compounds of this type can be converted to nldo-carboranes in the presence of base, but these do not form metallo-derivatlves, presumably for sterlc reasons (29). 

Finally, carborane units have been attached to phosphazene high polymers by reactions of lithiocarboranes with (NPCl2) . These reactions are summarized in Eq. 

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