Polymerization of aniline on copper phosphonate materials

Abstract

We report the use of layered copper phosphonate materials for the oxidative polymerization of aniline. The use of copper carboxyethylphosphonate results in the formation of the perinigraniline form of polyaniline in the interlayer region of the host structure, giving rise to an increase in the interlayer spacing by 10.2 Å. For copper phenylphosphonate, the emeraldine form of polyaniline is generated, although there is no evidence for intercalation within the interlayer region of the host material. Copper methylphosphonate is destroyed during the process of polymerization of aniline, yielding bulk copper metal as the only solid product. The results demonstrate the diversity of behaviour that may result from the use of structurally related, although chemically different, host materials for the polymerization of aniline.