Transition metal-mediated polycondensation

There are four main routes to the synthesis of PAVs [9] polymerizations via quinodimethane intermediates, polycondensations, transition-metal-mediated polycouplings, and metathesis polymerizations. Other methods such as chemical vapor deposition and electropolymerization have also been used on occasion but generally give poorer quality polymers. 

The disadvantages of this method are that the degree of polymerisation is low, and the high level of defects produced due to coupling other than at the 2- and 7-positions. As a result this method is generally not used to make PFs. A recent exception is the synthesis of the polymer 86 with a cyanoalkyl substituent (Scheme 39) [170]. Here, transition-metal-mediated coupHng methods such as Suzuki or Yamamoto polycondensation could not be used as the nitrile deactivates the metal catalysts by binding to the metaL... 

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