N-(4-substituted benzylidene)-4-ethynylanilines R–C
6H
4–CH
N–C
6H
4–C
CH, where R=Me,
t-Bu, F, Br, CN, NO
2, Me
2N and –C
C–SiMe
3 and isomeric 4-substituted
N-(4-ethynylbenzylidene)anilines R–C
6H
4–N
CH–C
6H
4–C
CH, where R=Me,
t-Bu, F, Br, I, CN, NO
2 and –C
C–SiMe
3 were polymerized using (i) [Rh(cod)OCH
3]
2 [(cod)=η
4-cyclooctadiene] in THF, (ii) Mo(
CHCPhMe
2) (
N–C
6H
3–
iPr
2-2,6)[O–CMe(CF
3)
2]
2 in aromatics, (iii) PdCl
2 in DMF. All catalysts tested exhibited high tolerability towards –CH=N– group (confirmed also by the in situ
1H NMR study) providing polyacetylenes with aromatic Schiff base type pendant groups. Positive correlation between acidity of ethynyl group and monomer polymerizability was found for Rh catalyst. Depending on catalyst, molecular weight of polymers decreases in the series: Rh (
Mw