Oxidative polymerization of pyrrole with iron chloride in nitromethane

Pyrrole was found to polymerize very slowly in nitromethane in the presence of iron(III) chloride to yield a polymer of thin particle size. Addition of water traces increased the rate of reaction about ten times as well as the particle size and the conductivity of polypyrrole formed. The particle size was also affected by reaction temperature. These effects were interpreted in terms of changes in the coordination sphere of the oxidant as well as in reaction kinetics.