Synthesis of polymers having arylene-vinylene units by palladium-catalyzedhydroarylation polymerization of diethynylbenzene derivatives

Arylene-vinylene-containing polymers with fully aromatic backbone structure s were prepared by the palladium-catalyzed hydroarylation polymerization of diethynylbenzene derivatives with diiodobenzene and alkylmalonate anions a s a hydride source. For instance, the polymerization of 1,4-bis(4'-dodecylo xy)phenylethynylenebenzene, diiodobenzene, and sodium diethyl benzylmalonat e was carried out at 80 degrees C for 2 days in 1,4-dioxane in the presence of Pd(OAc)(2)/tri-o-tolylphosphine (7 equiv. to Pd) to produce a polymer ( M-n = 6,390, M-w/M-n = 1.53) in high yield (86 %). Using various diethynylb enzene derivatives, polymers having arylene-vinylene units were also obtain ed in high yields.