POLY[BIS(ETHYLGLYCOXYPROPYL)SILYLENE]S AND POLY[N-ALKYL(ETHYLGLYCOXY)SILYLENE]S AND THEIR HIGHER HOMOLOGS, 2 - AMPHIPHILICITY AND MOLECULARORDERING IN THE SOLID-STATE

A series of polyglycol substituted polysilylenes containing up to thre e ethoxy units in one or both substituents of the silicon atoms were i nvestigated for their bulk and solution properties. In comparison to t he analogous nonpolar poly(di-n-alkylsilylenes), these ether functiona lized polysilylenes show improved solubility in alcohols and a distinc t amphiphilic character depending on the length of side chains and num ber of oxygen atoms incorporated. Spreading experiments on water/air i nterfaces demonstrated the formation of stable monolayers. Polysilylen e samples with -CH2(CH2-CH2-O)(n)-CH2-CH3; n=1, 2 substituents exhibit thermochromism which was correlated to a first order endotherm found by calorimetric measurements. Specimen containing two ethylglycoxyprop yl substituents per silicon atom or ethyldiglycoxypropyl side chains s howed no temperature or solvent dependence of the UV absorption.