Preparation and characterization of conjugated polymers made by postpolymerization reactions of alternating polyketones.

Conjugated polymers possessing a poly(2,5-dimethylene-2,5-dihydrofuran) backbone were prepared through postpolymerization reaction of styrenic polyketones with bromine in one-pot reactions. The modification is proposed to proceed via condensation of two repeating units to form a fully characterized polymer with a poly(2,5-dimethylenetetrahydrofuran) backbone. Subsequent bromination and elimination of HBr yield a polymer with a fully conjugated carbon backbone.

Palladium(II)-catalyzed copolymerization of styrenes with carbon monoxide: mechanism of chain propagation and chain transfer.

A mechanistic interpretation of the [(1,10-phenanthroline)Pd(CH(3))(CH(3)CN)](+)[BArF](-) (1a) and [(2,2'-bipyridine)Pd(CH(3))(CH(3)CN)](+)[BArF](-) (1b) (BArF = 3,5-(CF(3))(2)-C(6)H(3)) catalyzed perfectly alternating copolymerization of styrenes with CO is reported. The copolymerization in CH(2)Cl(2) or chlorobenzene has been found to be first order in styrene and inverse first order in CO concentrations. The microscopic steps involved in the catalytic cycle have been studied via low temperature NMR techniques.