POLYMERIZATION OF SI-CONTAINING ACETYLENES .10. SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLY[[ORTHO-(TRIMETHYLSILYL)PHENYL]ACETYLENE]

[o-(Trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acetylene quantitatively polymerized in the presence of WC16- Et3SiH (1:1), W(CO)6-/hv, and MoCl5-Et3SiH (1:1) catalysts in toluene or CC14 at 30 °C to give a new polymer having weight-average molecular weight over 1 x 106. Effects of organometallic cocatalysts, solvents, and temperature on the polymerization were studied. The product polymer possessed the structure [-CH=C(C6H4-o-SiMe3)-]n and was amorphous. The polymer was in the form of a dark purple solid (λmax 542 nm), completely dissolved in common organic solvents such as toluene and CHC13, formed a strong film by solution casting, and did not lose weight below 280 °C in air, being fairly thermally stable. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.