Acetylene Polycyclotrimerization:  Synthesis and Characterization of Ferrocene-Containing Hyperbranched Polyarylenes

A conjugated diyne monomer (A) was prepared by linking two acetylenic triple bonds together by a biphenyl bridge and its copolycyclotrimerizations with (E)-2-( 1-ferrocenyl)vinyl-p-phenylacetylene (B) was investigated, in an effort to synthesize ferrocene-containing hyperbranched conjugated polymers. The conjugated structures of the hb-PAs were confirmed by comparing their optical and electrochemical properties with those of their comonomer mixtures and their nonconjugated counterparts. Thermal stability of the hb-PAs was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was observed that the polymers were thermally stable and can be pyrolytically transformed into magnetic ceramics in high yields.