ACETYLENE POLYMERIZATION ON SULFATED ZIRCONIA - DETECTION OF INTERMEDIATES BY INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY

Polymerization of acetylene was found to take place on sulfated zircon ia at room temperature, and the process has been followed by FTIR spec troscopy with the purpose of identifying both final products and inter mediate species. The polymerization process is initiated on the surfac e OH groups with formation of H-bonded species which are then protonat ed to form a cationic monomer, C2H3+. This monomer adds acetylene mole cules from the gas phase giving rise to several oligomers which have a number of conjugated double bonds varying from 3 to 12, the oligomer with five double bonds being the most common.