CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF POLYPYRROLE .1. PREPARATION AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYPYRROLE ELECTROPHILICALLY SUBSTITUTED WITH PHTHALIC-ANHYDRIDE AND PYROMELLITIC DIANHYDRIDE

Polypyrrole (PPY) prepared in ether and in aqueous medium has been mod ified by polycondensation with phthalic anhydride (PA) and pyromelliti c dianhydride (PMDA) in presence of Friedel-Crafts catalysts such as a nhydrous zinc chloride and anhydrous ferric chloride at high temperatu re. The substitution reaction between PPY and the anhydrides presumabl y proceeds by intra- and interchain processes resulting in the formati on of intractable products. The characteristic carbonyl absorption ban d expected for C-O and diketone groups in the proposed structure for t he polycondensates has been observed in the spectra of the anhydride-m odified poly-condensates. XRD pattern of the polycondensates is totall y amorphous. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.