Inorg Chim Acta, 357, 3813 (2004)

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of N-(omega' -alkylcarbazolyl)methacrylates via the use of novel heteroleptic Ru(II) polypyridyl initiators

A. A. Farah and W. J. Pietro

Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3

Cis dichloro bis (2-(2-pyridyl)-4-carbonylmethylquinoline)ruthenium(II) complex was synthesized and its structure, electrochemical, electronic absorption and emission properties were determined. A derivative Ru(II) complex with radical initiating sties was employed in the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of functional N-(omega'-alkylcarbazolyl)methacrylates to provide linear metallopolymers with the metal chromophores at one termini of the polymer chain. These polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in combination with low-anble laser light scattering (LALLS), UV/Vis and emission spectroscopy to verify the covalent attachment of the metal chromophores to the polymer chain. The polymers thermal transitions and thermal stabilities were also investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).