Synthesis, characterization, thermal degradation and electrical conductivity of poly-4-[(pyridin-2-yl-imino)ethyl] benzene-1,3-diol and polymer-metal complexes

Poly-4-[(pyridin-2-yl-imino)methyl]benzene-1,3-diol (P-4-PIMBD) was synthesized via the oxidative polycondensation reaction by using sodium hypo chloride (NaOCl) oxidant in an aqueous alkaline medium at 70 °C. The yield of the polymer was found to be 68 %. The structures of the compounds, were confirmed by FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds were characterized by TGA-DTA and solubility tests. 1H and 13C NMR data shows that the polymerization proceeded by the C-C coupling of ortho and para positions according to -OH groups of 4-[(pyridin-2-yl-imino)methyl]benzene-1,3-diol (4-PIMBD) According to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) measurements, the number-average molecular weight (Mn), weight-average molecular weight (Mw) and polydispersity index (PDI) values of P-4-PIMBD were found as 9400, 12800 g mol-1 and 1.362, respectively. The polymer-metal complex compounds were synthesized with acetates salts of Cd, Co, Cu, Zn and Ni. Thermal analyses of these metal-complex compounds investigated in N2 atmosphere between 15-1000 °C Also, FT-IR spectra and electrical conductivities of polymer-metal complexes were measured by four-point technique. © 2008 Chemical Society of Ethiopia.