Preparation of soluble functional polymers by modification of nanosized polyacetylene

The reaction of electrophilic reagents such as halogens, nitric and sulfuric acids, and sulfur dioxide with nanosized stereoregular polyacetylene was studied. Polymers with chlorine content as much as 65% were obtained and the MW properties of the polymers were found to depend on the structure of pristine polyacetylene prepared under various conditions. The reaction between nitric acid and stereoregular polyacetylene occurred to give first [single bondCH(NO2)single bondCHdouble bond; length as m-dashCHsingle bondCH(OH)single bond]n while the totally nitrated product [single bondCH(NO2)single bondCH(ONO2)single bond]n was obtained with nitrogen content of 18.3% after complete nitration. GPC, NMR- and IR-spectroscopy were used for structural and MWD analysis of the original polyacetylene and obtained products. The mechanism of the reaction between electrophilic reagents and polyacetylene is discussed on the basis of the experimental and literature data.