Polymerization and polymer properties of (ptert‐butyl‐o,o‐dimethylphenyl)acetylene

Abstract

(p-tert-Butyl-o,o-dimethylphenyl)acetylene (BDMPA) polymerized in high yields in the presence of W and Mo catalysts. Especially the W(CO)6–CCl4–hv catalyst quantitatively produced a polymer totally soluble in toluene and chloroform. The weight-average molecular weight of this polymer exceeded 2 × 106. Poly(BDMPA) was a dark brown solid, and had alternating double bonds along the main chain. The weight loss of the polymer in air occurred only above 300°C, indicating a fairly high thermal stability. A free-standing film could be fabricated by solution casting. The electrical conductivity of the polymer at 25°C was 1 × 10−13 S cm−1. The oxygen permeability coefficient and the separation factor of O2 vs. N2 of the polymer at 25°C were 67 barrers and 3.2, respectively. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.