Ion-conductive polymers

An ion-conductive polymer containing covalently bound ion complexes of one of the formulas Ia-Ic ##STR20## wherein M.sup.+ is H.sup.+, Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, or K.sup.+ ;

• m is an integer in the range 0-4;
• m' is an integer in the range 0-7;
• m" is an integer in the range 0-8;
• and
• each group R independently is
• halogen;
• a group --CO--O.sup.-, --CO--O.sup.-,M.sup.+, or --SO.sub.2 --O.sup.-,M.sup.+ wherein M.sup.+ is as defined above;
• cyano;
• nitro;
• C.sub.1-5 alkoxy;
• optionally substituted phenyl;
• optionally substituted phenoxy;
• a group --CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6 where R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently are hydrogen, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, optionally substituted phenyl, phenylcarbonyl, or C.sub.1-6 alkanoyl;
• a group --NR.sup.5 R.sup.6 where R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently are as defined above;
• a group --N(R.sup.5)--CO--R.sup.7 where R.sup.5 is as defined above, and R.sup.7 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, C.sub.2-5 alkenyl, C.sub.2-5 alkynyl, or optionally substituted phenyl;
• a group R.sup.7 --CO--, a group R.sup.7 --O--CO--, a group R.sup.7 --CO--O--, or a group R.sup.7 --O--CO--O, where R.sup.7 is as defined above;
• cycloheptatrienyl;
• or
• one of the groups R is a ion complex Ia', Ib', or Ic' ##STR21## wherein M.sup.+, m, m' and m" are defined above, and R' has the same meanings as R defined above with the proviso that R' is not a ion complex Ia', Ib', or Ic';
• or
• two groups R bound to two adjacent carbon atoms may together form
• a divalent aliphatic or alicyclic group with 3-8 carbon atoms and having at least 2 C--C double bonds;
• carbonyloxycarbonyl;
• carbonylthiocarbonyl;
• a group --CO--N(R.sup.7)--CO-- where R.sup.7 is as defined above;
• and the free bond indicated by "a", either directly or through an intervening group, is bound to the polymer backbone.