A study of molybdenum catalysts in the polymerization of 2,5-didodecyl-1,4-dipropynylbenzene

The reaction of 2,5-didodecyl-1,4-dipropynylbenzene with different molybdenum sources (Mo(CO)6, norbornadiene-Mo(CO)4, cyclooctadiene-Mo(CO)4, cycloheptatriene-Mo(CO)3, (PhCtriple bond; length of mdashCPh)3Mo(CO), (acac)2MoO2/AlEt3) was investigated in the presence of 4-chlorophenol or 2-fluorophenol. Upon heating to 105–130 °C, the formation of didodecyl-PPE resulted. The degree of polymerization of the PPE is dependent on the used phenol and to the utilized molybdenum precursor. The most active catalyst forms from (acac)2MoO2, AlEt3 and 2-fluorophenol. This catalyst combination gives high molecular weight PPEs after 6 h at 105 °C.