Electrochemical characterization of soluble polyacetylenes derived from the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of substituted cyclooctatetraenes

ROMP (Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization) of substituted cyclooctatetraenes provide a new class of soluble conducting polymers. Films can be easily cast from solution onto electrodes or other substrates. Preliminary electrochemical results indicate that the substituent group not only imparts solubility to the polymer, but allows electronic and steric perturbations to directly effect redox potentials and band gap. These studies also show an electrochemical cis-trans isomerization for cis-poly-R-COT materials analogous to that reported for cis-polyacetylene. A further advantage of soluble conducting polymers is demonstrated by the electrodeposition of thin films from solution, which provides a new method of electrode modification with homogeneous polyacetylene films. At present, new R-COT polymers are under investigation in which the substituent offers strong electronic perturbation to the conjugated polymer, or is itself electroactive. Current interest also centers on the electrodeposition of thick free-standing films, and the fabrication of multi-layered films from the sequential electrodeposition of several different R-COT polymers.