Diacetylene and Triacetylene Polymers

The polyacetylenes, polydiacetylenes, and polytriacetylenes are the only known families of linearly conjugated polymers. The polydiacetylenes and polytriacetylenes, the primary topic of this discussion, are distinguished from the polyacetylenes because they require preorganization of the monomer for a successful polymerization. These topochemically controlled polymerizations have the interesting property that they can lead to single crystals of conjugated polymers, a unique structural feature among all polymers. The conjugated backbones impart interesting optical and electrical properties to these polymers, making them possible candidates for the development of advanced materials. Keywords: polydiacetylenes; polytriacetylenes; conjugated polymer; electrical properties; optical properties; topochemically controlled polymerization