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Terpolymers from Borane‐Initiated Copolymerization of Triphenyl Arsonium and Sulfoxonium Ylides: An Unexpected Light Emission
Author(s) -
Wang De,
Hadjichristidis Nikos
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201901094
Subject(s) - isomerization , copolymer , chemistry , monomer , polymer chemistry , polymerization , borane , dispersity , double bond , photochemistry , polymer , catalysis , organic chemistry
The first synthesis of well‐defined poly[(phenylmethylene‐co‐methylpropenylene)‐b‐methylene, [(C1‐co‐C3)‐b‐C1], terpolymers was achieved by one‐pot borane‐initiated random copolymerization of ω‐methylallyl (C3 units, chain is growing by three carbon atoms at a time) and benzyltriphenylarsonium (C1 units, chain is growing by one carbon atom at a time) ylides, followed by polymerization of sulfoxonium methylide (C1 units). Other substituted arsonium ylides, such as prenyltriphenyl, propyltriphenyl and (4‐fluorobenzyl)triphenyl can also be used instead of benzyltriphenylarsonium. The obtained terpolymers are well‐defined, possess a predictable molecular weight and low polydispersity (M n,NMR =1.83–9.68×10 3 g mol −1 , Đ=1.09–1.22). An unexpected light emission phenomenon was discovered in these non‐conjugated terpolymers, as confirmed by fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy. This phenomenon can be explained by the isomerization of the double bonds of allylic monomeric units along the chain of the terpolymers (isomerization‐induced light emission).