POLY(ISOTHIANAPHTHENE) FROM 2,5-BIS(TRIALKYLSILYL)ISOTHIANAPHTHENES -PREPARATION AND SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION

A new method for the preparation of poly(isothianaphthene) is proposed , namely electropolymerisation of bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)isothian aphthene (BTBDMS)ITN. The advantage offered by this method is based on the fact that (BTBDMS)ITN is a stable monomer at ambient conditions w hereas unsubstituted isothianaphthene is unstable and must be prepared prior to the polymerisation. Poly(isothianaphthene) (PITN) prepared f rom (BTBDMS)ITN shows an average polymerisation degree of 20 and spect ral and spectroelectrochemical characteristics similar to classical PI TN. FT Raman spectroelectrochemical studies show that during oxidative doping PITN undergoes similar changes to poly(alkylthiophenes) and po ly(alkoxythiophenes).