Synthesis and characterization of electroactive polyamide with amine-capped aniline pentamer and ferrocene in the main chain by oxidative coupling polymerization

A novel electroactive polymer, polyamide with well-defined oligoaniline and ferrocene in the main chain, has been successfully synthesized through a novel oxidative coupling polymerization. The polymerization characteristics and structure of the copolymer were systematically studied by gel permeation chromatographic (GPC), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, 1H NMR and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). And its spectroscopic properties and electrochemical behavior were studied by UV–vis spectra and cyclic voltammetry (CV). It was found that the obtained polyamide bearing amine-capped aniline pentamer and ferrocene segments had a reversible electrochemical property in the cyclic voltammetry, but showed four distinct oxidation states, which is different from polyaniline. Moreover, its electrical conductivity is about 7.6×10−7 S cm−1 at room temperature upon preliminarily protonic-doped experiment.