SOLUBLE, WELL-DEFINED COPPER(I) AND SILVER(I) COORDINATION POLYMERS FROM YL)-2-O-PHENANTHROLINYL)-2',5'-DIHEXYL-P-TERPHENYL

A novel synthetic concept is presented which allows, for the first tim e, the preparation of soluble, constitutionally well-defined transitio n-metal coordination polymers of considerable molecular weights from k inetically unstable, pseudotetrahedral copper(I)- and silver(I)-phenan throline complexes. It is demonstrated that rigorous exclusion of all molecules that might act as competitive ligands for the metal ions of the polymer constitutes the central requirement for obtaining solution s of ''proper'' coordination polymers, i.e., polymers having a constan t number of repeating units per individual chain. Tetrachloroethane wa s found to be an appropriate solvent for this purpose. Solubility of t he copper(I) and silver(I) coordination polymers-which are polyelectro lytes-in this rather apolar solvent was achieved by the attachment of two hexyl side chains to each polymer repeating unit. It was thus poss ible to prove the defect-free constitution of the obtained coordinatio n polymers and to show their excellent stability in solution with the aid of H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, formation of coordinat ion polymers of considerable chain lengths is supported by the complet e disappearance of end-group absorptions in the H-1 NMR spectra and th e results of viscosimetric investigations.