Design of polyethers, thioethers, and amines with pendent iron moieties

Sol. organoiron polyethers, thioethers, and amines were synthesized via nucleophilic arom. substitution reactions. The synthesis of these classes of organometallic polymers involved either the reaction of cyclopentadienyliron complexes of dichloroarenes with various oxygen and sulfur dinucleophiles or the reaction of ether- or amine-contg. diiron complexes with dithiols. Polymn. reactions with the diiron complexes gave rise to organoiron polymers with alternating ether/thioether or amine/thioether bridges. Removal of the iron moieties from the backbone of these polymers allowed for the prodn. of the corresponding org. materials. Furthermore, the organometallic polymers had much higher solubilities than their org. analogs. Thermogravimetric anal. of the organoiron polymers indicated that the polymers lost their metallic moieties at approx. 200°, whereas degrdn. of the polymer backbones occurred around 500°C.