STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF COPPER(II)-CHELATED POLYMERS DERIVED FROM HYDROXY-FUNCTIONALIZED LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE HOMOAZOMETHINES AND COPOLYAZOMETHINES

Different hydroxy-functionalized polyazomethines have been modified by complexation using paramagnetic copper(II) ions. The molar percentage of copper introduced into the polymeric chains is determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The introduction of the metal might give rise to cross-linking or bending of the polymeric chains depending on the structure of the modified repeating units. The influence of the copper content on thermal and mesogenic behavior has been studied by DSC, TG, and optical microscopy. The EPR measuremenTs of this new type of metal-coordinated polymer provide significant structural information about the metal-containing polymers and the pristine polyazomethines. The study of the metal-containing copolymers derived from ethylenediamine and aromatic diamines has given evidence of the selective copper insertion into repeating units derived from ethylenediamine. An alternating order in the structure of the copolyazomethines, which could not be studied by any other technique, can be drawn from the EPR spectra.