A Modular Approach to Main-Chain Organometallic Polymers

摘要

We have developed a highly efficient route to a new class of organometallic polymers with metal centers linked together via conjugated, difunctional NHCs. The polymerizations did not require anhydrous conditions or inert atmospheres, and the entire process, from commercial materials to polymeric products, was accomplished in three simple manipulations with minimal technical difficulty. The physical properties of the polymers were found to be dependent on both the transition metal and the modular structural characteristics of the NHC, and could be further modified through post-polymerization ligation. Control over both molecular weight and end-groups was also demonstrated through the inclusion of chain transfer agents during polymerization. Combined with the ability to prepare polymers with high molecular weights, these modular building blocks should open new opportunities in polymer synthesis, conductive polymers, nonlinear optics, and electronic devices. Full investigation of the electronic and physical characteristics of the polymers presented herein will be reported in due course.