ELECTROCHEMICAL POLYMERIZATION OF TOLUENE ON PT IN LIQUID SO2-TEMPERATURE - SIMULTANEOUS FORMATION OF SOLUBLE OLIGOMERS AND SOLID POLYMER-FILMS(CF3SO3H AT LOW)

Electrochemical polymerization of toluene on a Pt electrode has been p erformed in liquid SO2 + toluene + CF3SO3H + TBACF3SO3 at low temperat ures. Toluene was oxidized at + 1.0 V vs Ag/AgCl, much lower than benz ene (+1.3 V) in the same medium. After electrolysis, a polymer film an d oligomers were obtained on the Pt electrode and in the solution, res pectively. Under cyclic voltammetry in SO2 + CF3SO3H, the polymer film showed broad redox peaks, quite different from the sharp redox peaks of polyparaphenylene prepared in the same medium. The oligomers (the m ain products) were found to be principally the tetramer, pentamer and their cyclized products.