5th Annual WSU Celebration of Research and Creative Scholarship
 
Online Book of Abtracts

Poster #109 - Preparation and Characterization of a New Branched Polyphosphonium Polymer

Colby Skar, Manish Nepal

Faculty Co-author: Dr. Thomas Nalli

A novel branched polyphosphonium polymer was prepared through the reaction of 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene (DPPB) and 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)benzene (TBMB).  All materials are commercially available with the exception of DPPB, which was prepared by a known method published by Tunney and Stille.  The synthesis required the use of 1,4-diiodobenzene, (trimethylsilyl)diphenylphosphine, and bis(acetonitrile)dichloropalladium (II).  The growth of the polymer was found to be limited by the amount of mono-oxidized DPPB that forms in the reactant over time.  To aid in characterization of the polymer, a phosphine-oxide terminated model compound was prepared by reacting TBMP with DPPB monophosphine oxide (DPPBO).  DPPBO  was prepared using a literature method involving treatment with 1.0 equiv benzyl bromide in toluene followed by  hydrolysis with aqueous sodium hydroxide.  Characterization of the polymer and the model compound used ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy.