Ferrocenes metallocene polycondensation

A number of organometallic polymers containing metallocenes and metallocene analogues has been well-known for some time2. Because of the features of high-temperature stability and radiation resistance of the ferrocene nucleus, ferrocene-containing polymers are of special interest. Basically, these polymers may be divided into two classes the metallocene moiety is either located in a pendant group or in a backbone of the polymer chain. The former polymers have been synthesized by vinyl polymerization of vinyl metallocene monomers such as vinylferrocene. The latter polymers have been prepared by polycondensation of l,l -disubstituted metallocenes or metallocene dihalides with a.w-disubstituted monomers, and fell into two main types, (A) and (B). 

One of the syntheses of the polymers of type (A) and (B) involves the polycondensation of a metallocene-containing Lewis base or Lewis acid. A number of ferrocene-and cobalticenium-containing Lewis bases have been employed, e.g. ... 

The preparation of polyamides having metallocenes incorporated into the backbone can be achieved by the use of bifunctional ferrocene derivatives, such as diacid chlorides or diamines. In the following, a few examples of such reactions are presented. In the early 1960s Knobloch and Rauscher reported the preparation of polyamides and polyesters by the reaction of 1,1 ferrocenyldicarbonyl chloride 14 with several diamines and diols by interfacial polycondensation.80 The synthesis of elastomeric polyamides 54a, Mn = 10,000-18,000) in high yields was reported by Rausch and co-workers from 1,1 -bis((3-aminoethyl)ferrocene 53 and diacid chlorides (Scheme 12.11). The reaction with bis-isocyanates allows the formation of ferrocene-containing polyureas 54b. 

The polycondensation of acetylene-substituted metallocenes has yielded polymers containing backbone aUcyne bridges. The synthesis of l-iodo-2-methoxy-methyl-3-ethynylferreocene and l-iodo-2-(N,N-dimethylamino methyl)-3-ethynyl-ferreocene was reported by Plenio and coworkers. Polymerization of these ferrocene-based complexes gave rise to soluble bimodal 1,3-linked ferrocene-acetylene polymers. Polymers exhibiting optical activity or functionalized sidechains were produced via Sonogashira coupling reactions. 

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