title: Living photolytic ring-opening polymerization of amino-functionalized [1]ferrocenophanes: synthesis and layer-by-layer self-assembly of well-defined water-soluble polyferrocenylsilane polyelectrolytes.
abstract: Facile synthetic routes have been developed that provide access to cationic and anionic water-soluble polyferrocenylsilane (PFS) polyelectrolytes with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. Living photolytic ring-opening polymerization of amino-functionalized [1]ferrocenophane (fc) monomers [fcSiMe{C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)N(SiMe(2)CH(2))(2)}] (3), [fcSi{C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)N(SiMe(2)CH(2))(2)}(2)] (10), [fcSiMe(C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)NMe(2))] (14), and [fcSiMe(p-C(6)H(4)CH(2)NMe(2))] (20) yielded the corresponding polyferrocenylsilanes [(fcSiMe{C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)N(SiMe(2)CH(2))(2)})(n)](5), [(fcSi{C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)N(SiMe(2)CH(2))(2)}(2))(n)] (11), [{fcSiMe(C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)NMe(2))}(n)] (15), and [{fcSiMe(p-C(6)H(4)CH(2)NMe(2))}(n)] (21) with controlled architectures. Further derivatization of 5, 15, and 21 generated water-soluble polyelectrolytes [(fcSiMe{C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)N(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)SO(3)Na)(2)})(n)] (6), [{fcSiMe(C[triple chemical bond]CCH(2)NMe(3)OSO(3)Me)}(n)] (7), and [{fcSiMe(p-C(6)H(4)CH(2)NMe(3)OSO(3)Me)}(n)] (22), respectively. The polyelectrolytes were readily soluble in water and NaCl aqueous solutions, with 6 and 22 exhibiting long-term stability in aqueous media. The PFS materials 6 and 22, have been utilized in the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of electrostatic superlattices. Our preliminary studies have indicated that films made from controlled low molecular-weight PFSs possess a considerably thinner bilayer thickness and higher refractive index than those made from PFSs that have an uncontrolled high molecular-weight. These results suggest that the structure and optical properties of LbL ultra-thin films can be tuned by varying polyelectrolyte chain length. The water-soluble low molecular weight PFSs are also useful materials for a range of applications including LbL self-assembly in highly confined spaces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Georgeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Peiris
authors.forename: Geoffrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ozin
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manners