Synthesis of Novel Organocobalt Polymers with Flexible Aliphatic Spacers in the Main Chain

A series of polymers 3 bearing (η 5 -cyclopentadienyl)cobaltacyclopentadiene moieties in the main chain and flexible aliphatic alkoxy groups in both the main and side chains has been synthesized. Polymers 4 having (η 5 -cyclopentadienyl)(η 4 -cyclobutadiene)cobalt moieties were obtained by the thermolysis of toluene solutions of the corresponding polymers 3 . The resulting polymers of both series were soluble in common organic solvents. According to the thermal analysis data, polymers 3 underwent rearrangement to produce 4 upon heating (155−175 °C), while polymers 4 were stable before 410−425 °C. Glass transitions of polymers 4 were observed in the range −10 to +120 °C, depending regularly on the size of the aliphatic segments.