Complexes in polymers II: FT-IR spectra,iodine oxidation,and photochemistry of [(η5-C5H)Fe(CO)2]2, [(η5-C5H5)Mo(CO)3]2 and Mn2(CO)10 in polystyrene,poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene–polyacrylonitrile copolymer

The infrared spectra of CpFe(CO)₂]₂, CpMo(CO)₃]₂ and Mn₂(CO)₁₀ (Cp=η-C₅H₅) embedded in films of polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and polystyrene-polyacrylonitrile (PS? AN), are comparable with those of the dimers in toluene, ethyl acetate and acetonitrile, respectively. Irradiation of the embedded dimers with UV light led to decomposition in PS and PMMA, while in PS? AN the complexes Cp₂Fe₂(CO)₃PS? AN and Mn₂(CO)₉PS? AN were formed, wherein a pendant nitrile group is coordinated to one of the metal atoms. Exposure of the embedded dimers to iodine vapour gave CpFe(CO)₂I, CpMo(CO)₃I and Mn(CO)₅I with the reaction being much slower in PMMA than in PS.