PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NITROGEN AND OXYGEN-CONTAINING GRAPHITE-LIKE PYROPOLYMERS FROM 5-(2-PYRIDYL)-2,4-PENTADIYN-1-OL

5-(2-Pyridyl)-2,4-pentadiyn-1-ol was polymerized over NbCl5- or TaCl5- based catalysts followed by pyrolysis to obtain graphite-like pyropoly mers. The black metathesis polymer, poly[5-(2-pyridyl)-2,4-pentadiyn-1 -ol], has the structure of a fully conjugated backbone and was convert ed into a polyacene-based polymer having pyridyl pendant groups. The p yropolymers prepared by vacuum pyrolysis over 700 degrees C have nitro gen atoms incorporated into graphene sheets. The polymers were charact erized by elemental analysis, TGA, FT-IR, laser Raman, NMR, XPS, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed desorption experiments, charge/di scharge experiments, and SEM and TEM studies.