Kinetics of complex formation of tetracyanoethylene with poly‐N‐vinyl carbazole and polynaphthyl methacrylate and the corresponding low molecular weight donors

The complex formation of tetracyanoethylene with poly‐N‐vinyl carbazole, polynaphthyl methacrylate and the corresponding low molecular weight analogues, N‐ethylcarbazole and naphthyl methacrylate resp., in chloroform solution proceeds at a considerable rate and is accompanied by change in the absorption spectra in the visible region. The rates of donor‐acceptor complex formation in mole ratios of 1 : 1 at room temperature are studied by means of spectrophotometric “stopped‐flow” technique. The apparent rate constants of complex formation for all complexes are of the order of 104l · mole−1 · sec−1. Their values do not depend on the molecular weight of the donors. The apparent rate constants of the formation of tetracyanoethylene complexes of poly‐N‐vinyl carbazole and N‐ethylcarbazole are slightly greater than those of polynaphthyl methacrylate and naphthyl methacrylate, which shows that the rate of complex formation is influenced by the electron donating capacity of the complex forming units.