The metal nature effects in cryopolymerized metalated poly-p-xylylene

Ag-, Mg- and Mn-containing poly-p-xylylenes were obtained by solid-state ph otopolymerization of metal-p-xylylene mixtures at 77 K. Interaction of the metals with p-xylylene before and after its polymerization was studied usin g IR and UV-Vis spectroscopies. It was shown that Mg and Mn form strongly o ptically absorbing complexes with p-xylylene during codeposition, whereas A g produces nanoclusters without chemical interaction with monomer and these clusters remain in the polymer matrix practically unchanged. Mg forms ionic complexes with a large contribution of covalent bonding. The p-xylylene in such complexes exists in the form close to its benzenoid one . During polymerization the complexes transform into sigma-bonded organomag nesium compounds incorporated within the polymer chains. Mn as a transition metal produces complexes of two types. Complexes of the first type are similar to those of Mg demonstrating similar behavior in cou rse of polymerization, whereas those of the second type, formed by the inte raction of d-orbitals of Mn with pi-orbitals of p-xylylene, are destroyed d uring polymerization. (C) 2000 published by Elsevier Science Ltd.