Synthesis of Thermochromic Iron(II) Tris(bipyridine)-Centered Star-Shaped Polyoxazolines and Their Bipyridine-Centered Macroligand Counterparts

Abstract

Iron tris(bipyridine) complexes [Fe{4,4‘-bis(chloromethyl)-2,2‘-bipyridine}3], 1a, and the corresponding iodide analogue generated in situ using NaI, 1b, were explored as initiators for the polymerization of a series of 2-R-2-oxazoline monomers (R = ethyl, EtOX; methyl, MeOX; phenyl, PhOX; and undecyl, UnOX). The resulting labile core, red-violet Fe-centered star polymers fragment during molecular weight analysis by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thus, samples were subjected to chemical cleavage in aqueous K2CO3 to generate metal-free bipyridine-centered polyoxazolines, bpyPROX2. When combined with ferrous ammonium sulfate, these bpyPROX2 macroligands chelate to Fe(II), regenerating the [Fe(bipyridine)3]2+ chromophores. Both preparative and analytical kinetics experiments generally produce polymers with reasonably narrow molecular weight distributions (∼1.1−1.5). Molecular weight vs % monomer conversion plots with either the iodide or chloride initiating system were nearly linear for all monomers ; however, only PEOX and PUOX products show good correlation with Mn(calcd) based on monomer/initiator loading. For most monomers, reactions with iodide initiators are faster than the chlorides, and linear first-order kinetics plots were observed. Polymerization of oxazolines with 4,4‘-bis(halomethyl)-2,2‘-bipyridines produced polymers with very narrow molecular weight distributions but with molecular weights higher than targeted based on monomer loading. 1H NMR data illustrates that termination with dipropylamine is efficient for EtOX polymerizations. Thermal analysis by DSC and TGA reveal few differences between Fe-centered stars and their bpy-centered PROX macroligand counterparts. Variable-temperature UV/vis data is provided for an Fe-centered PEOX thin film sample.