Preparation of Rh-containing polycarbonate films and the study of their chemical properties in the polymer

RhCl[P(C6H5)(3)](3) complexes have been incorporated in polycarbonate (PC) as a dispersion medium using cosolvent (THF). The interactions between Rh(I ) complexes and polycarbonate polymer molecules are studied by infrared spe ctroscopy and thermal analysis. The reaction chemistry of Ph in PC films ha s been investigated by reacting Ph sites in PC with small gaseous molecules like CO, H-2, D-2, O-2 NO, C2H2, and C2H4 in the temperature range 25 simi lar to 150 degrees C. Various Rh-carbonyls, -hydride, -nitrosyl, and -super oxo dioxygen species formed in PC films are characterized by infrared spect roscopy. The Rh complexes in PC are easily reduced by reacting them with H- 2 gas and such reduction results in the formation of small Rh metal particl es of 20 similar to 30 Angstrom in diameter in PC. The Ph complexes in PC s how interesting catalytic reactivities such as hydrogenation of olefin and acetylene, oxidation of CO, reduction of NO, methanol synthesis from CO or CO2 and oxidation of alcohol under relatively mild conditions. (C) 2000 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.