Ferrocene Polymers with 'Polyaniline Backbones

摘要

Addition of either aniline or m-phenylenediamine to one of the cyclopentadienylrings of ferrocene permits polymer film formation by oxidative electropolymerization of these side groups in acetonitrile solution. The monomers are prepared by reaction of N, N-dimethylaminomethylferrocene methiodide and the appropriate amine in refluxing water. A variety of substituted aniline compounds have been synthesized to demonstrate that polymer film formation most likely occurs by a head to tail coupling of the aniline moieties. The electrochemistry of the polymer film coated electrode in supporting electrolyte only displays well defined responses for the ferrocene portion of the polymer without being complicated by voltammetric responses of the supposed polyaniline backbone. These films are stable to continuous potential cycling showing less than five percent diminution in the oxidative and reductive currents over fifty repetitive scans.