AN ELECTRON-SPIN-RESONANCE STUDY OF THE THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF POLY(1,6-DI-N-CARBAZOLYL-2,4-HEXADIYNE)

By monitoring the thermal decomposition of poly(1,6-di-N-carbazolyl-2, 4-hexadiyne), through the use of an electron spin resonance (e.s.r.) s pectrometer, it was possible to measure the spin concentrations associ ated with the decomposition process. Two types of experiments were con ducted: in one the decomposition reaction was carried out within the e .s.r. unit, while in the second the decomposition was performed extern ally under an inert atmosphere, after which the decomposed material wa s examined. Both types of experiment yielded similar results, and thes e appeared to exclude a free-radical chain mechanism as the major mech anism of decomposition. The proposed mechanism involves side-group cle avage, followed by hydrogen abstraction by the carbazole radical, to f orm carbazole as the main reaction product.