Synthesis,geometric structure,and properties of poly(phenylacetylenes) with bulky para-substituents

Phenylacetylenes (PAs) with bulky substituents (adamantyl, tert-butyl, and n-butyl groups) at the para-position polymerized in good yields with Fe, Rh, Mo, and W catalysts. The formed polymers were soluble, and their number-average molecular weights were in the range of thousands to hundred thousands. Whereas it is known that the poly(PA) obtained with the Fe catalyst is an insoluble cis-cisoidal polymer, the present polymers formed with the same catalyst were totally soluble in many solvents such as benzene and CHCl₃. The ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR and DSC data revealed that both of the polymers formed with the Fe and Rh catalysts had virtually all-cis structures, while those with the Mo and W catalysts had cis-rich and trans-rich structures, respectively. Cis-cisoidal and cis-transoidal structures of para-substituted poly(PAs) could not be distinguished because of their good solubility. The bulky substituents raised the temperature of cis–trans isomerization and improved the thermal stability of the polymers. Poly(p-t-BuPA) showed gas permeability higher than that of poly(PA). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3157–3163, 1998