Electrochemical synthesis of germane-germane and germane-silane copolymers

Poly(dibutylgermylene-co-dihexylgermylene), poly(dibutylsilylene-co-dihexyl silylene) poly(dihexylsilylene-co-diphenylgermylene), and poly(methylphenyl germylene-co-dipentylgermylene) were synthesized electrochemically by intro ducing two corresponding monomers in starting electrolyte solution. The mon omer ratio in the copolymers was successfully controlled by changing the ra tio of monomers in the starting electrolyte solutions. However, the monomer ratio in the resulting copolymers were different from those in the startin g electrolyte solutions. One monomer, which gives a better yield and a high er molecular weight than the other monomer in the homopolymer syntheses, wa s found in a larger proportion in the copolymer than was expected from the monomer ratio in the starting electrolyte solution. Thermochromic behaviors of the copolymers depended upon the ratio of monomers in the copolymers. I t was concluded that random copolymerization was taking place in all the co polymer syntheses studied here. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.