Spectroelectrochemical Approaches to Mechanistic Aspects of Charge Transport in meso-Nickel(II) Schiff Base Electrochromic Polymer

Abstract

A new redox conducting polymer, viz. poly[meso-N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-2,3-butanediaminonickel(II)], poly[meso-Ni(II)-SaldMe], belonging to the Schiff base polymer family, was electrochemically synthesized. The charge transfer and polymerization mechanism were unraveled by simultaneous cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in situ UV–vis, FTIR-ATR, and ex situ low-temperature ESR spectroscopy. With the latter, a short-living paramagnetic transient form of electro-oxidized poly[meso-Ni(II)-SaldMe] was detected. This form was identified as the bisphenolic radical cation. In situ UV–vis and FTIR-ATR spectroelectrochemistry measurements revealed that the charge transfer of the polymer involved bisphenolic radical cation formation at the potential lower than 0.80 V vs Ag/Ag+ and then dication formation at the potential exceeding 0.80 V. The proposed mechanism of electropolymerization of meso-N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-2,3-butanediaminonickel(II), meso-Ni(II)-SaldMe, involves two steps. First, electro-oxidation of the monomer...