Ferrocence-based polymers containing azo groups in their backbone: Synthesis, electrochemical and thermal analysis.

Ferrocene-based monomers were prepd. via the reaction of cationic chloroarene cyclopentadienyliron complex cations with 1,1'-ferrocene dicarbonyl chloride. These monomers were then reacted with O-, S- and N- contg. dinucleophiles to give the polymeric materials with neutral iron moieties in the backbone and pendent cationic cyclopentadienyliron moieties. Photolytic demetallation gave the title organometallic polymers in good yields. Electrochem. studies showed that the neutral iron moieties were oxidized at 0.89 V while the cationic species were reduced at -1.42 V. Thermal anal. and mol. wt. detn. were preformed using TGA, DSC, and GPC. The synthetic methodol., characterization, and spectral properties will be discussed.