Reactivity of cobaloxime bound to polystyrene chain by carbon–cobalt σ bond

The (alkyl)-bis(dimethylglyoximato)pyridinecobalt attached to polychloromethylstyrene by a cobalt–carbon bond was prepared by the reaction of Co(II)(DH)₂Py with polychloromethylstyrene in benzene. The fraction of p-vinylbenzyl·Co(DH)₂Py introduced to the polymer was 8.1 and 2.1 mole %. The photodecomposition of the polymer-bonded cobaloxime was investigated by following the change of the visible spectrum. The rate constant k_dec of the polymer-bonded cobaloxime was 1.1 × 10^?2 sec^?1 in benzene; it is one-fourth of that of its monomeric analog, benzyl·Co(DH)₂Py. The k_dec values of the cobaloximes were also measured in benzene–dimethyl sulfoxide mixed solvents, and the polymer effects were discussed. The dependence of the photodecomposition on energy of the irradiation light was investigated, and it was found that the absorption band near 470 nm is important for the photodecomposition of the cobalt–carbon bond. Spectroscopic measurements of the ligand exchange reaction of polymer-bonded cobaloxime with pyridine in dimethyl sulfoxide gave a larger equilibrium constant (1.2 × 10⁴ liter/mole) than that of benzyl·Co(DH)₂Py (9.4 × 10² liter/mole). The kinetic data of the ligand exchange reaction indicated that the larger equilibrium constant for the polymeric system is due to the smaller rate constant of the reverse reaction. The thermodynamic parameters were also obtained.