Synthesis of Random Copolymers of Pyrrole and Aniline by Chemical Oxidative Polymerization

Random copolymers have been synthesized in high yields (94%) by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline/pyrrole comonomers using H2O2 in the presence of Fe catalyst. The oxidative polymerization proceeds via successive coupling that gives the copolymer structure similar to polyaniline and polypyrrole. The copolymers are black powders and soluble in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The weight–average molecular weight (Mw) of the copolymers was in a range, from 6200 to 15,000 g/mol.