NOVEL HETEROARYLENE POLYAZOMETHINES - THEIR SYNTHESES AND CHARACTERIZATIONS

Novel thiophene or furan-containing polyazomethines were synthesized b y chemical oxidative polymerization with ferric(III) chloride. The str uctures of the undoped and doped polymers were evaluated by FTi.r., el emental analysis, u.v.-vis spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectrosc opy (XPS) and their thermal stability determined using thermogravimetr ic analysis (t.g.a.). The conductivities of the undoped polymers were less than 10(-8) S cm(-1), while those of the doped ones were in the r ange of 10(-7) to 10(-6) S cm(-1). The low conductivity values were at tributed to the low degree of conjugation in the polymers caused by no n-planarity of the polymer chains. The thiophene-containing polymers u nderwent sulfur extrusion during polymerization, resulting in an inter ruption of conjugation in the polymer backbone with consequent diminis hed electrical conductivity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.