Organogermanium polymers prepared from s‐indacene and carbodiimide compounds

Abstract

The synthesis of bis‐organogermanium compounds including s‐indacene structure was described and showed the formation of one type of trans isomer characterized by spectroscopic methods. In the same way, the digermyl‐s‐indacene dichlorides were prepared and structural characterizations confirmed the unique formation of trans isomers. These digermyl‐s‐indacene dichlorides were used as monomers in a polymerization reaction in order to prepare poly(germyl‐s‐indacenes) and poly(germyl‐s‐indacene carbodiimides). However, only the products obtained from tetraalkyl‐s‐indacene reached high molecular weight, probably due to a minor steric hindrance compared to the hexaalkyl‐s‐indacene. Thermal degradation only starts from 250°C for poly(germyl‐s‐indacene carbodiimides) and from 350°C for poly(germyl‐s‐indacenes). The structures of the first digermyl‐s‐indacene dichlorides were determined by X‐ray analysis, confirming that the chlorogermyl groups are located in trans positions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.