Organometallic polymers. XV. Synthesis and characterization of some ferrocene-containing oxysilane polymers from bis(dimethylamino)silanes

Three bis(dimethylamino)silane monomers have been polymerized with 1,1'-bis-(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene to give ferrocene-containing polyoxysilanes I and II. They were bis(dimethylamino)dimethylsilane (III), bis(dimethylamino)diphenylsilane (IV), and 1,4-bis(N,N-dimethylaminodimethylsilyl)benzene (V). Mixing of the diol and III or IV at O°C followed by heating resulted in polymerization to higher molecular weights than when the monomers were initially mixed at higher temperatures. At higher temperatures the formation of monomeric cyclic products seriously competed with polymerization, and the five atom bridged derivative, 3-sila-2,4-dioxa-3,3diphenyl5]ferrocenophane (VI) was isolated in good yield. The use of silane V, where cyclization is not expected to compete, led to higher polymer yields and molecular weights. The polymers were low melting and I (R = C₆H₅) could be cast into films and weak fibers were drawn from its melt. The polymers were sensitive to hydrolytic decomposition; those containing Si-CH₃ linkages were completely hydrolyzed in refluxing THF-H₂O (10:1) in 1 hr. The polymers were characterized by viscosity studies, gel-permeation chromatography, and infrared and NMR spectroscopy.