Metal-containing monomers based on copper and zinc salts of unsaturated acids and pendent 4-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligands: Synthesis, characterization and thermal properties

Metal-containing monomers based on maleates of copper and zinc, cinnamate of copper and acrylate of zinc with 4-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine ligand were prepared for the first time and characterized using a number of analytical techniques including infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis. According to the results of the thermal analysis, the coordination mixed-ligand complexes based on zinc salts are more stable than copper one both in the case of monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids. The first stage of polymerization according to results of mass spectra of gaseous products is initiated in accordance with the Borodin–Hunsdiecker mechanism: the initial decarboxylation leads to the formation of carboxy biradicals, which, in turn, cause the polymerization and the formation of polymers. In this paper we also describe facile two-step Kröhnke-type synthesis of 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine from 2-acetylpyridine and its NMR spectrum.