Synthesis, properties and aplications of functionalized polyanilines

Novel functionalized conductive polymers are synthesised using modification reactions of polyaniline: diazonium coupling, nucleophilic addition and N- nitrosation. Diazonium salt coupling with polyaniline renders modified polymers which are soluble in common solvents and electroactive. Nucleophilic addition could also be used to modify polyaniline. Modified polymers produced by addition of thiols, carbanions and arylsulphinic acids are described. The nucleophilic addition of arylsulphinic acids to oxidized polyaniline is shown to be controlled by the oxidation and/ or protonation state of the polymer. It is also possible to N- nitrosate polyaniline producing a material soluble in common solvents. The reaction could be reversed by acid treatment. The reversible nitrosation reaction is used to design lithographic and photolithographic processes to deposit PANI patterns.