Moderating the Reactivity of Living Anionic Poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) with a Diphenylethylene Chain End: Synthesis and Characterization of Polystyrene−Polyferrocenylsilane Graft Copolymers

Polyferrocenylsilanes: synthesis, properties, and applications

This comprehensive review covers polyferrocenylsilanes (PFSs), a well-established, readily accessible class of main chain organosilicon metallopolymer. The focus is on the recent advances involving PFS homopolymers and block copolymers and the article covers the synthesis, properties, and applications of these fascinating materials.

Polyferrocenylsilane-Based Polymer Systems

The study of metallopolymers has blossomed into a mature field over the last few decades. Especially, polyferrocenylsilane (PFS) chemistry has taken a tremendous leap and continues to raise intense interest. Since the discovery of thermal ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of sila[1]ferrocenophanes, PFSs have been also accessed by anionic, cationic, transition-metal-catalyzed, and photolytic anionic ROP methodologies. A plethora of synthetic strategies have been devised, enabling access to a wide variety of copolymers, polyelectrolytes, and nanostructured materials. The distinctive physical properties and functions of many PFS-based polymers have been explored, leading to their apt exploitation in technical applications. Therefore, it is conceivable that PFS-related platforms might be indispensable nano-objects in the near future, as they stand on the verge of a new generation of sophisticated materials.

Electrochemical Behavior of Poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane-b-dimethylsiloxane) Films

The electrochemical behavior of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PFDMS-b-PDMS) films deposited on a glassy carbon electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV). The influences of the solvent, film thickness, temperature, and PDMS block length in PFDMS-b-PDMS on the electrode process were discussed. It was found that in 0.1 M aqueous LiClO(4) the electrochemical processes of the films on a glassy carbon electrode were complex and have a low rate of electron transport and mass diffusion. The kinetic parameters obtained indicated that the electrode process was controlled by both the electrode reaction and mass diffusion.