| Abstract: | Polymers having pendant norbornadiene (NBD) moieties and rigid main chain were prepared from the reaction of partially brominated poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide) with a potassium carboxylate derivative of the corresponding NBD using a phase transfer catalyst in chlorobenzene. The photochemical valence isomerization of pendant NBD to quadricyclane (QC) moieties proceeded smoothly in the film state as well as polymer solution upon the irradiation by sunlight, xenon lamp, or high-pressure mercury lamp. The rate of isomerization was affected by the structure of main chain in the polymer and the substituent groups of NBD derivatives. The catalytic reversion of the resulting QC moiety to the original NBD proceeded smoothly in the solution with (5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-por-phine)cobalt(II) as the catalyst at room temperature; however, the reaction of NBD polymer containing poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) showed lower reactivity than that of the corresponding low molecular weight QC compound. When the cycle between the photochemical valence isomerization of NBD moiety to quadricyclane (QC) moiety and thermal reversion of QC moiety to NBD moiety at 160°C was repeated, the NBD polymer synthesized from PPO degraded gradually, whereas NBD polymer prepared from poly(4-chloromethylstyrene) decomposed easily. Therefore, the rigid PPO structure showed high resistance for the degradation of NBD moiety. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
