Reversible Mechanochemistry of a PdII Coordination Polymer

Breaking up and making up: The ultrasonic cleavage of high-molecular-weight linear coordination polymers of phosphane telechelic polytetrahydrofuran and palladium dichloride in dilute solution is a reversible process (see picture). Sonication for 1 h led to a decrease in the weight-averaged molecular weight of the polymer from 1.7×105 to 1.0×105 g mol−1. Upon leaving the sample to stand for 24 h, the original molecular weight was completely restored.