Polybenzimidazole-Supported [Rh(cod)Cl]2 Complex: Effective Catalyst for the Polymerization of Substituted Acetylenes

✍ Scribed by Jan Sedláček; Marta Pacovská; Dana Rédrová; Hynek Balcar; Andrea Biffis; Benedetto Corain; Jiří Vohlídal

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 132 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0947-6539
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-3765(20020118)8:2<366::aid-chem366>3.0.co;2-9

✦ Synopsis

The first heterogeneous catalyst which affords polymerization of substituted acetylenes into readily available high molecular weight polymers is reported. The catalyst (Rh/PBI) has been prepared by supporting di-m-chlorobis(h 4 -cycloocta-1,5-diene)dirhodium(i), [Rh(cod)Cl] 2 , on commercial polybenzimidazole (PBI) porous beads by means of a simple quantitative adsorption from THF solution, and tested in polymer-ization of phenylacetylene, 4-fluorophenylacetylene, and 4-pentylphenylacetylene. The polymer molecules formed were found to be released from the Rh/PBI to surrounding solution during the polymerization performed in THF.

Formation of high molecular weight (hMi w values up to 325 000) polymers in prevailing cis ± transoid configuration has been observed with all monomers. In a comparison with free [Rh(cod)Cl] 2 used as the homogeneous catalyst, the Rh/PBI can be used repeatedly, exhibits somewhat lower polymerization activity but almost no oligomerization activity, and provides polymers of higher molecular weight.