Synthesis, characterization, optical and electrical properties of thermally stable polyazomethines derived from 4,4′-oxydianiline

Abstract

Three soluble, thermally stable azomethine polymers were synthesized by the oxidative polycondensation of azomethine bisphenols using NaOCl as an oxidant in aqueous alkaline medium. The azomethine bisphenol monomers, 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzilidine)aniline], 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxy-5-bromobenzilidine)aniline] and 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxynaphthalidine) aniline] were synthesized by the condensation of 4,4′-oxydianiline with three aromatic aldehydes. The structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. Morphology of the synthesized polymers was characterized using scanning electron microscope. The thermal stability of the polymers is evidenced by high carbines residue obtained in TGA. Fluorescence spectra showed that the emission maxima centred in the region 420–460 nm for all the compounds with large stokes shift values (∆λST). Electrical conductivity of iodine-doped polymers was measured by four-point probe technique. The synthesized polymers have shown good electrical conductivity on iodine doping, and it increases with the increase in iodine vapour contact time. The self-extinguishing property of the synthesized polymers was studied by the calculation of the limiting oxygen index values with van Krevelen’s equation.