AN ELECTROCHEMICAL ROUTE TO POLY(P-PHENYLENEVINYLENE) POLYMERS (PPVS)AND COPOLYMERS VIA CATHODICALLY GENERATED QUINODIMETHANES - PREPARATIVE AND STRUCTURAL ASPECTS

An electrochemical route to poly(p-phenylenevinylenes) (PPVs) is descr ibed which involves cathodic cleavage of bis(dibromomethyl)arenes at a mercury pool cathode. Insoluble and organosolv PPVs are obtained in g ood yields and are characterised as regular and linear. Copolymers are obtained by co-electrolysis of different bis(dibromomethyl)arenes, Th e method is versatile and much functionality is tolerated, The polymer s can be made conducting by doping with BF3 or SO3. The effect of subs tituents on conductivity correlates, roughly but significantly, with H ammett sigma-values. Poly(p-phenylenevinylene), the parent PPV, forms conducting blends with poly(vinyl alcohol).