SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF COPOLYMERS FROM 1-[3,5-BIS(TRIMETHYLSILYL)PHENYL]-2-PHENYLACETYLENE

Copolymerization of 1-[3,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]-2-phenylacetylene (m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA) with other diphenylacetylene derivatives and their copolymer properties were investigated. Homopolymerization of m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA by TaCl₅─n-Bu₄Sn (1:2) did not give the polymer due to steric hindrance. However, m,m-(Me₃Si)2DPA copolymerized with diphenylacetylene (DPA), 1-phenyl-2-[p-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acetylene (p-Me₃Si DPA), and 1-phenyl-2-[m-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acety-lene (m-Me₃SiDPA) in the presence of TaCl₅─n-Bu₄Sn at various feed ratios to give copolymers in moderate yields. The formed copolymers were yellow to orange solids, which were soluble in common organic solvents such as toluene and CHCl₃. The highest weight-average molecular weights (M_w) of these copolymers reached ca. 6 × 105 and tough films could be obtained by solution casting. Their onset temperatures of weight loss in air were observed around 400°C, indicating high thermal stability. The oxygen permeability coefficients at 25°C of copoly(m,m-(Me₃Si)₂ DPA/DPA) (feed ratio 1:1) and copoly(m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA/p-Me₃SiDPA) (feed ratio 1:2) were 21 and 100 barrers, respectively, medium in magnitude among polymers from substituted acetylenes.