Incorporation of Different End Groups in Conjugated Polymers Using Functional Nickel Initiators

The synthesis of functionalized Ni catalysts and their use for the synthesis of conjugated polymers end-capped with these functional groups has been reported. These polymers significantly owe their potential to the fact that their polymerization can proceed via a chain growth mechanism. The purity and stability of the externally prepared initiator are of crucial importance, since traces of any Ni2+salt result in polymer chains that are not initiated by the initiator and therefore lack the functional group. The decomposition appears to proceed quite rapidly, which complicates the isolation of this complex. This concept should therefore be applicable to a wide variety of conjugated monomers which can be polymerized using a Kumada catalyst- transfer mechanism. The living nature of the polymerization can be exploited to terminate the polymer chain with two different end groups.