Poly silanes conformation

The next question is how side-chain substitutions and skeleton conformations affect the band structures of polysilanes. Side chains provide two interesting effects (7) band gap reduction caused by substitution of larger alkyl side chains and skeleton-side chain interaction (i.e., (j-tt mixing) in aryl poly silanes. This interaction was confirmed by UV photo spectroscopy (UPS) (8-9) and photoabsorption and luminescence measurements (iO, 11). Skeleton conformations are related to thermochromism (12-17). The ab initio... 

In this study, we investigated a set of model polysilane chain systems that illustrate the basic physics and chemistry of some optical properties of these materials. In particular, we looked at the band structure for unsubstituted polysilane in an all-trans conformation, as well as in a 4/1 helical conformation with four silicon atoms contained in one translational repeat unit. In addition, we compared results for the dimethyl-substituted polysilane in an dl -trans conformation with the results for the unsubstituted poly silane. 

This dominant feature is essentially the same for both the unsubstituted and dimethyl-substituted all-trans polysilane chains, and an equivalent feature is found when a smaller basis set is used for the dimethyl-, diethyl-, and dipropyl-substituted poly silanes. For the helical conformation, however, along with the larger band gap in this conformation (Figure 3c), a pronounced shift of the direct-gap absorption peak to higher energy is observed, with a trend toward a less anisotropic absorption. 

These results support current interpretations of the bathochromic shifts observed in dialkyl-substituted poly silane. Experimental results for poly(di-n-hexylsilane) indicate that as the temperature is cooled below a transition temperature of roughly -35 °C, the major absorption peak shifts from a broad peak at about 310-320 nm (3.9-4.0 eV) to a narrower peak at about 350-370 nm (3.3-3.5 eV), with the red shift being attributed to a transition from a disordered system with a large population of gauche bond twists in the silicon backbone and in the alkyl substituent to a planar dll-trans backbone conformation (5-8, 15). Results from polarized absorption spectra of stretch-oriented samples for the cooled samples exhibit absorbance only for polarizations parallel to the stretch (and presumably the chain axis) direction (22). 

The local-density functional approach was used to compare the band structures of the sW-trans conformation of unsubstituted polysilane with a 4/1 helical conformation and with an dll-trans conformation of dimethyl-substituted poly silane. In line with previous theoretical studies, the electronic wave functions in the vicinity of the Fermi level are primarily silicon-back-bone states, with the major effect of methyl substitution being a decrease in the gap. The predicted absorption spectra for the dll-trans conformations of unsubstituted and dimethyl-substituted polysilane are similar for nearthreshold absorption. Given this similarity, we believe that the shift in energy and strong anisotropy of threshold absorption that we predict for the two extremes of the dll-trans conformation and the dll-gauche model will also occur in alkyl-substituted systems, which are currently under investigation. 

Keywords silyl radicals, poly silanes, back-folded conformation, dissociation energy of Si-Si bonds... 

In conclusion, the phase behavior of symmetrically di-n-alkyl-substituted poly(silane)s and poly(silylenemethylene)s is similar both classes of polymers form the same type of mesophase, although it cannot be obtained in pure form for the poly(silylenemethylene) studied. The mobility in the mesophase, characterized by the quadmpole splitting, appears to depend strongly on the chemical structure of the backbone. For different poly(silane)s, the mobility in the crystalline phase is obviously influenced by the conformation of the backbone zW-trans vs. 73-helical) and therefore depends on the length of the side-chains. Application of pressure to poly(silane)s with 73-helical backbones leads to the formation of high-pressure crystalline modifications with dA -trans backbone conformation. The pVT studies made it possible to define the precise conditions for the pressure-induced phase transitions. 

The recent interest in substituted silane polymers has resulted in a number of theoretical (15-19) and spectroscopic (19-21) studies. Most of the theoretical studies have assumed an all-trans planar zig-zag backbone conformation for computational simplicity. However, early PES studies of a number of short chain silicon catenates strongly suggested that the electronic properties may also depend on the conformation of the silicon backbone (22). This was recently confirmed by spectroscopic studies of poly(di-n-hexylsilane) in the solid state (23-26). Complementary studies in solution have suggested that conformational changes in the polysilane backbone may also be responsible for the unusual thermochromic behavior of many derivatives (27,28). In order to avoid the additional complexities associated with this thermochromism and possible aggregation effects at low temperatures, we have limited this report to polymer solutions at room temperature. 

We now report that in the region of the absorption band the flow linear dichroism of a solution of 1 is positive (Fig. 3). Assuming that the nature of the flow orientation is of the usual kind, i.e., that the polymer chains in a random coil conformation which dominates in solution (34) tend to align with the flow direction, this observation provides additional support for the absolute assignment of the transition moment direction along the chain direction, even in solution. Similar conclusions based on polarization studies on a stretched film of poly(di-n-hexyl silane) have recently been reported (36). 

Other crystalline inorganic polymers such as poly(dichlorophosphazene), poly(aryloxyphosphazenes), liquid crystalline polysiloxanes and poly(dichloro-silane) have also been studied by X-ray diffraction methods, enabling the conformations in the crystallites in the solid state to be established. 

Conformational calculations are carried out on poly(di-n-hexylsilanes). The most significant finding from the energy calculations is that the a -trans conformation is not the lowest energy structure for the symmetrically alkyl-substituted silane polymers. A helical structure is preferred for the isolated molecule. 

Farmer et al. evaluated the conformations and dynamics of poly(di- -hexylsilane). " - " The lowest energy conformer for a polymer containing eight silicon atoms was a helical arrangement with 30° torsional angles in the silane backbone. The authors also monitored different backbone and side chain torsions during dynamics simulations and concluded that the conformation present in the crystalline solid is controlled by intermolecular effects. 

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