Synthesis of high-molecular-weight [60]fullerene pearl-necklace polyamides derived from equatorial-[60]fullerenobisacetic acid

A series of [60]fullerene pearl-necklace polyamides, consisting of equatorial[60]fullerenobisacetic acid and various chromophoric aromatic diamines, were synthesized by a phosphorylation route using large amounts of triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing reagents with stepwise addition of the condensing reagents. In the present polymers, [60]fullerene pearls and diamine linkers were attached to one another by cyclopropane connectors. The polyamides had weight-average molecular weights (M-w) of 4.5-5.0x10(4) g/mol and inherent viscosities (eta (inh)) of 0.3-0.4 dL/g in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at 30 degreesC. They had glass transition temperatures at 30-125 degreesC and decomposition temperatures at 300-310 degreesC. The UV-VIS spectra in DMAc exhibited broad absorption with lambda (max) at 310-390 nm tailing to longer wavelengths.