Synthesis of polyphenylacetylene by radiation-induced polymerization in deoxycholic acid clathrate

Phenylacetylene was polymerized as inclusion compound (clathrate) inside deoxycholic acid (DOCA) crystals. The polymerization was initiated by γ radiation and a total dose of 320 kGy was employed. The resulting polyphenylacetylene (PPA) was isolated by dissolution of deoxycholic acid in boiling ethanol. PPA high polymer was accompanied by a series of phenylacetylene oligomers, which were detected by liquid chromatographic analysis (HPLC). PPA was characterized by electronic absorption spectroscopy and by FT-IR spectroscopy in comparison to a reference PPA prepared by a stereospecific catalyst. The microstructure of PPA from inclusion polymerization was highly trans type, similar to that observed on PPA prepared by bulk radiolysis. No optical activity was detected by polarimetry on PPA prepared by inclusion polymerization.The host–guest complex PPA/DOCA was studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and by thermogravimetry (TGA). DTA provided evidences of the host–guest complex formation from the shift of the melting point of DOCA while the TGA confirmed the identity – in terms of thermal behaviour – of the PPA from inclusion polymerization with that from stereospecific polymerization.