title: Surface-confined nickel mediated cross-coupling reactions: characterization of initiator environment in Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation.
abstract: Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation (KCTP) has proven to be an excellent strategy toward the synthesis of well-defined conjugated polymers. In this report, Ni(0) species are reacted with surface-bound aryl bromides to yield KCTP initiators of structure (aryl)Ni(II)-Br. Surface-confined Kumada reactions are carried out with a ferrocene functionalized Grignard reagent to quantify initiator coverage, ligand exchange, and Kumada reaction kinetics. In addition, surface-initiated Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation (SI-KCTP) is carried out from the fabricated initiators to modify SiO(2) and ITO surfaces. Uniform poly(3-methylthiophene) films with thicknesses between 40 and 65 nm were characterized using a variety of spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Faculty of Engineering, Riverbend Research South, 220 Riverbend Road, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: S Kyle
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sontag
authors.forename: Gareth R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: Nathan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Usselman
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Locklin