Polymerization of phenylacetylene by molybdocene dichloride-organoaluminium compound catalyst system

The polymerisation of phenylacetylene was carried out by molybodocene dichloride-organoaluminium catalyst system. This catalyst system was effective for the polymerisation of phenylacetylene to give a relatively high yield of polymer. EtAlCl2 showed high cocatalytic activity for the polymerisation of phenylacetylene by Cp2MoCl2. The resulting poly(phenylacetylene)s were generally light-brown powders and soluble in common organic solvents. The polymer structure was characterised by various instrumental methods to be the conjugated polymer backbone structure having phenyl substituents. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.