FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SYNTHESIS OF POLYORGANOGERMANES BY ELECTROREDUCTIVE COUPLING OF DI-N-HEXYLDICHLOROGERMANE

The effects of the nature of the electrodes (sacrificial anode and cat hode) and of the solvent on the electroreduction of di-n-hexyldichloro germane have been investigated, Several sacrificial anodes (magnesium, zinc and aluminium) and cathodes, including stainless steel, magnesiu m and aluminium, have been used in THF containing LiClO4, Monomodal an d polymodal poly(di-n-hexylgermanes) were obtained with Al/Al and Mg/M g electrode pairs, but the polymer yield was about twice as high with Al/Al (64%) as with Mg/Mg (30%), Various solvents (tetrahydrofuran, he xamethylphosphorotriamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, acetonitrile and dim ethylformamide) with LiClO4, have been used as electrolytic media, Mon omodal PDHG with a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution ([( M) over bar](w)/[(M) over bar](n) = 1.6) was obtained only in THF/HMPA with Al/stainless steel electrodes. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Lt d.