Conducting crystalline polyazomethine polymers with high solubility an
d low melting points have been prepared and studied. The polymers were
synthesized by the polycondensation of p-phenylene diamine and 2-nitr
o-p-phenylene diamine with terephthaldehyde and p-diacetylbenzene. Pol
ymers with polar functional NO2 groups and methyl side groups were fou
nd to be more soluble in common organic solvents and to possess lower
melting points. The polymers were studied using IR and UV-visible spec
tra, elemental analyses, solubility, inherent viscosity, X-ray diffrac
tion, scanning electron microscopy and d.c. electrical conductivity.