SYNTHESIS OF ORGANOMETALLIC CONDUCTING POLYMERS USING SOLUBLE POLY(N-ALKYLPHENYLENE)S AS LIGANDS

Homogeneous reaction of soluble poly(n-hexylphenylene) (PHP) with a mo lybdenum carbonyl comPlex, (PY)3Mo(CO)3, afforded an organometallic pi -conjugated polymer at ambient temperature. The product was soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform or THF and its infrared an d UV-visible absorption spectra and electrochemical properties indicat ed a formation of (eta6-arene)MO(CO)3-type complex polymer, PHP-Mo(CO) 3. The ratio of Mo(CO)3 units to benzene rings in PHP-MO(CO)3 was esti mated at 1/5 from the ratio of v(C=O) and v(C=C) peak absorbances in t he infrared spectrum and by the colorimetric analysis of Mo content. R eaction of poly(n-butylphenylene) (PBP) with chromium hexacarbonyl als o afforded a organometallic polymer containing Cr(CO)3 moieties, PBP-C r(CO)3. Conductivity of PHP-MO(CO)3 and PBP-Cr(CO)3 was higher than th at of free PHP and PBP, respectively, in the neutral state, although t he activation energy for the conductivity is not seriously changed by the complex formation.