SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HINDERED POLYPHOSPHAZENES VIA FUNCTIONALIZED INTERMEDIATES - EXPLORATORY MODELS FOR ELECTROOPTICAL MATERIALS

Several cosubstituent polyphosphazenes were synthesized that incorpora te the nonlinear optical chromophore, disperse red 1 (DR-1), linked co valently to the polymer backbone through spacer groups. These polymers have a high chromophore loading tone DR-1 per repeat unit), have glas s transition temperatures near 100 degrees C, and are high refractive index materials (n = similar to 1.71). The syntheses were achieved via unconventional reactions that involve functionalized poly(organophosp hazenes). Disperse red-1 was linked to the polymers by two different m ethods that generate either an ester- or an ether-linked system. Techn iques such as H-1, C-13,and P-31 NMR, gel permeation chromatography, d ifferential scanning calorimetry, UV-vis spectroscopy, and optical bir efringence were used to monitor the structures.