Towards moisture and light stable polystannanes

直到最近，对第14族元素聚合物的研究主要限于含碳聚合物。虽然对基于较重的第14族元素、聚硅烷、聚锗烷和聚锡烷的聚合物的独特性质的研究兴趣持续增加，但这些材料的应用受到相当大的限制。更高级的14族聚合物通常是光敏感和湿敏感的，使得它们与常规聚合物体系相比更难以制备、分离和使用。第14族金属（锡，铅）的最高聚合物代表了一个相对未开发的研究领域，链状铅聚合物，聚铅烷，仍然未知。 高级14族聚合物的独特性质之一是由元素轨道沿主链沿着重叠而产生的广泛的离域σ-σ键网络，使得这些产物在光学和电子学上令人感兴趣。 用Sn和Pb的均聚物制造高导电膜、一维量子线和可印刷电子器件的潜力尚未被探索。这项研究将解决这些独特材料以前的合成缺点，并提供第一个水分和光稳定的聚锡烷的例子。光稳定性将通过引入光稳定侧基（UV吸收剂（UVA）、受阻胺光稳定剂（HALS））来实现，以保护主链免于光断裂反应。 通过在锡原子上使用庞大的疏水或环结构来提供水分稳定性，以改善对水分和其它亲核试剂的抗性。 上述单体的聚合将通过烷基或芳基锡二氯化物的双偶联和烷基或芳基锡二氯化物的Wurtz偶联和电聚合来完成。金属催化插入的不饱和烃，（炔或苯炔）到这些聚合物的主链也将进行研究。还将对这些新聚合物进行表征和应用测试。

Until relatively recently, studies of polymers of Group 14 elements have been largely limited to those containing carbon. While research interest into the unique properties of polymers based on heavier Group 14 elements, polysilanes, polygermanes, and polystannanes has continued to increase, applications with these materials has been considerably more limited. Higher Group 14 polymers are in general both light and moisture sensitive, making them more difficult to prepare, isolate and use compared to conventional polymer systems. The highest polymers of Group 14 metals (Sn, Pb) represent a relatively untapped research area with catenated lead polymers, polyplumbanes, still unknown. One of the unique properties of higher Group 14 polymers is the extensive delocalized sigma-sigma bond network created from overlap of elemental orbitals along the backbone, making these products optically and electronically interesting. The potential to make highly conductive films, one-dimensional quantum wires and printable electronics with homopolymers of Sn and Pb have not been explored. This research will address the previous synthetic shortcomings of these unique materials and deliver the first examples of moisture and light stable polystannanes. Light stability will be accomplished by the introduction of light stabilizing side groups (UV absorbers (UVA), hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS)) to protect the backbone from photoscission reactions. Moisture stability will be provided by the use of bulky hydrophobic or ring structures on the tin atom to improve resistance to moisture and other nucleophiles. Polymerization of the above described monomers will be accomplished by dehydrogenative coupling of alkyl or aryl tin dihydrides and Wurtz coupling and electropolymerization of alkyl or aryl tin dichlorides. Metal catalyzed insertion of unsaturated hydrocarbons, (alkynes or benzynes) into the backbone of these polymers will also be investigated. Characterization and applications testing of these new polymers will also be undertaken.