Construction of Hyperbranched Polyphenylenes Containing Ferrocenyl Units by Alkyne Polycyclotrimerization

Copolycyclotrimerizations of [( E / Z )-2-(1-ferrocenyl)vinyl]- m / p -phenylacetylene [( E / Z )- 1 ( m / p )] with 1,8-nonadiyne ( I ) were studied. The conformation of the vinyl unit of 1 affected the polycyclotrimerization reaction dramatically: while ( Z )- 1 failed to give any polymeric products, its E isomer underwent polymerization smoothly, producing hyperbranched copolymers hb- P 1 / I in good to high yields (up to 100 wt %). The hyperbranched copolymers are soluble in common organic solvents and are thermally stable, losing little of their weights when heated to high temperatures (up to 466 °C). The incorporation of the ferrocenyl moiety endowed the copolymers with redox activity.