A fluorene-containing spiro-type conjugated polymer, poly(dipropargylfluore
ne), was synthesized via the cyclopolymerization of dipropargylfluorene by
Mo- and W-based transition-metal catalysts. The polymerization of diproparg
ylfluorene proceeded well by MoCl5 catalyst itself to give a quantitative y
ield of polymer. The Mo-based catalysts are more effective than those of W-
based catalysts. The structure of poly(dipropargylfluorene) was characteriz
ed by various instrumental methods (NMR, IR, and UV-visible spectroscopies)
to have the conjugated polymer backbone carrying fluorene moieties. Analys
is of the C-13 NMR spectrum revealed that the polymer structure consists of
only six-membered rings. The resulting poly(dipropargylfluorene)s were bro
wn or black powder and soluble in aromatics and halogenated hydrocarbons su
ch as benzene, chlorobenzene, tetrahydrofuran, chloroform, and methylene ch
loride. Thermal and morphological properties of the polymer are also discus
sed. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.