N-phenylhydroxylamine polymer, method of preparation

A method for preparing a conjugated, electroactive polymer, comprising polymerizing, under anhydrous conditions, a monomeric starting material contained within a reaction mixture and having the structural formula (III) ##STR5## in which:

• n is an integer in the range of 0 to 4 inclusive;
• the R substituents are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkylthio, aryloxy, dialkylamino, alkylamino, amino, aryl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkoxyaryl, alkoxyalkyl, arylthio, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxylate, sulfonate, halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, hydroxylamine, alkyl-substituted hydroxylamine, and alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonate, carboxylate, halo, nitro, cyano, or epoxy moieties, or wherein any two R groups together form an alkylene and alkenylene chain completing a 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7-membered aromatic or alicyclic ring, which ring is either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more divalent nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, or oxygen atoms;
• R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, aroyl, aryl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsilyl, alkylsiloxyl, arylsilyl, arylsiloxyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, hydroxyl, arylsulfonyl, and alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonate, carboxylate, halo, nitro, cyano, or epoxy moieties;
• R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, aroyl, aryl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsilyl, alkylsiloxyl, arylsilyl, arylsiloxyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, cyano, alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonate, carboxylate, halo, nitro, cyano, or epoxy moieties, or R.sup.2 is a cationic species selected from the group of ammonium, tetraalkylammonium, trialkylammonium, dialkylammonium, monoalkylammonium, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and transition metals;
• and
• X is either O or S,
• such that, as polymerization proceeds, the moiety R.sup.2 is removed as the eliminated species R.sup.2 --X--H, and wherein said polymerizing is in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst.