Polyacetylene and its derivatives are a group of novel π-conjugating polymers. They have unique electronic and conductive properties and have potential use as future important functional materials.
Scientists in the US have synthesised a new catalyst to polymerise both mono and di-substituted acetylenes, and the first tetra-anionic pincer-type ligand. This ‘HOT’ paper also presents evidence for a new reaction: a reductive alkylidyne migratory insertion into a metal-arene bond (the terminal carbene disappears upon addition of alkyne).
Read this ‘HOT’ Chemical Science article today:
Compelling mechanistic data and identification of the active species in tungsten-catalyzed alkyne polymerizations: conversion of a trianionic pincer into a new tetraanionic pincer-type ligand
Kevin P McGowan, Matthew E O’Reilly, Ion Ghiviriga, Khalil A Abboud and Adam Steven Veige
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2SC21750C
