Carbonization of 1,4-diiodo-1,3-butadiyne and 1-iodo-1,3,5-hexatriyne inside the MCM-41 molecular sieve Original Research Article

1,4-Diiodo-1,3-butadiyne and a new derivative 1-iodo-1,3,5-hexatriyne were polymerised to prepare a carbonaceous material with oligoyne segments. The polymerisation was initiated by UV radiation (C4I2) or simply by a concentration rise after evaporation of the solvent (C6HI). The formation of oligoyne was followed by FTIR in KBr pellets, in which the polymerisation occurred. Both precursors were also polymerised in the channels of the siliceous MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve. Polymeric carbon, confined in the channels, showed a broad IR band at 2090–2180 cm−1 corresponding to conjugated sp-bonded carbons. The intraporous polymerization was followed by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption. Both the precursors and the polymerization products showed improved chemical and thermal stability if they were confined inside the MCM-41 matrix.