Wittig and SchifFs-Base Polymers

Although the methods reviewed above have been most widely used for synthesis of conducting polymers, there are many other organic reactions capable of producing conjugated structures. One example is the Wittig condensation of bis-triphenyl-phosphonium compounds with dialdehydes in the presence of a strong base, typified by the synthesis of poly(p-phenylene-vinylene) 102). 

This route has been adapted by Kossmehl et al. 103,1(U) to produce a wide range of conjugated polymers containing aromatic and heteroaromatic nuclei. Droske 

Two other related routes to conjugated polymers are the base-catalysed condensation of methyl-substituted aldehydes  

Both of these reactions have been adapted by Kossmehl et al.103,106) to produce polymers with aromatic and heteroaromatic units in the main chain. The advantage of these routes is the very wide range of polymer structures which is accessible the main problem is that the polymers are formed as insoluble, infusible powders and are most probably oligomeric. 

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