ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION OF METHOXYANILINE - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND FRONTIER ORBITAL INTERPRETATION

This report describes the electropolymerization reactions of ortho- and meta-methoxy-anilines on a gold electrode and on a gold/polyaniline electrode. It is shown that the outcome of the electrooxidation process is sensitive to the methoxy group position but not to the nature of the electrode which, nevertheless, exerts a catalytic effect. These effects are discussed in terms of frontier orbital interactions. This approach suggests that film growth involves the coupling of a nonoxidized monomeric unit via one of its carbon atoms onto a deprotonated NH2 group of the oxidized polymeric chain.