Studies of the reaction of p-type doped polyacetylene with H2O

Abstract The reaction of D 2 O with [CH(AlCl 4 ) y ] x leads to the introduction of several irreversible changes in the conjugated polyenic backbone, as evidenced by i.r., Raman and e.p.r. spectroscopies, and induces increasing structural disorder as evidenced by X-ray diffraction. The hydrolysis results in the formation of carbonyl defects with sp 3 hybridized CH 2 groups adjacent to it and carbinol-type defects due to the existence of tautomeric equilibrium. The accumulation of defects that break the conjugation causes a significant lowering of the d.c. conductivity observed upon redoping with iodine.