LAUSR

Abstract We have exploited an extremely efficient and versatile route to prepare ferrocene-containing cross-conjugated polymers (oligomers) in the main-chain. Using a variety of 1,1′-disubstituted ferrocenyl ketone-derived N-tosylhydrazones, reaction with aryl halides under palladium-catalysis gave 14 poly(ferrocenylene-vinylidene) cross-conjugated polymers (oligomers) in 50–80% yield. It was noteworthy that all the polymeric products were well soluble in common organic solvents, endowing them with high solution processability. Pendant double bonds of these cross-conjugated polymers (oligomers) were suitable towards further processing with high reactivity. The optical properties of the polymers (oligomers) were examined. The electrochemical properties of polymers (oligomers) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and suggested a quasi-reversible process. Moreover, these cross-conjugated polymers (oligomers) proved thermally stable and demonstrated promising potential as low-migration burning rate catalysts.