Synthesis, Characterization, and Some Properties of 4-Vinylpyridine-Cr(CO) 5 Containing Polymers

Abstract

The polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) and 4-vinylpyridine chromium pentacarbonyl [(4VP)Cr(CO)5] was performed under N2 atmosphere at 60–80°C temperature range. Different percent of feed (%PF) of Cr(CO)5 groups were anchored into poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) by addition of the intermediate Cr(CO)5THF, which was generated photochemically from Cr(CO)6 in THF, to the polymer at ambient temperature. The determined percent of anchoring (%PA) has shown that the maximum anchored Cr(CO)5 groups was 40% (w/w) with respect to P4VP, and the optimum percent of anchoring was 20% (w/w). The rate of polymerization (R p ) and the activation energy (E a ) of 4VP in the absence and in the presence of 16.7% Cr(CO)5(4VP) were determined. Thermal analysis has shown various changes in the properties of the 4VP polymers after modification of the polymer by Cr(CO)5 groups. The X-ray diffraction and the melting enthalpy derived from the DSC thermogram revealed that the synthesized poly[(CO)5Cr(4VP)] has a crystallinity of about 40%, whereas no crystallinity was observed for pure P4VP.