A REPRESENTATIVE OF A NEW CLASS OF CONDUCTING OLIGOMER - ACETYLENE-TERMINATED POLYANILINE

We present the first synthesis of acetylene-terminated polyaniline oli gomers (ATPAs) by two chemical methods. One method, a modified Moore-H onzl-Wudl synthesis, involves the condensation of p-phenylenediamine ( PDA) with 2,5-dioxo-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, followed by endc apping with 3-ethynylaniline (EA) and subsequent air oxidation. The ot her, more convenient, method is based on a modified Manassen-Khalif Sc hiff-base approach involving the condensation of PDA with commercially available 1,4-cyclohexanedione, followed by endcapping with EA and su bsequent air oxidation. Both methods give oligomers with molecular wei ght distributions. The ATPAs have been characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, H-1 NMR, MS and ESR methods. Bronsted acid doping gives conducting AT PAs (up to 10(-2) S/cm). The results of comparative studies of the ATP As prepared by both methods are presented.