Conducting and Magnetic Polymers.

Polymers that contain conjugated backbones are being prepared to be studied as materials which show interesting levels of conductivity, photoluminescence and ferromagnetism. The materials being prepared contain backbones that are polyacetylenes or in some cases alternating polyene-arene repeat units. When the arene units are coupled in the para position, materials with conductivity and luminescence properties are produced. When the arene units are metacoupled, materials which may show ferromagnetic properties are synthesized. Key to the study is the development of methods for the controlled synthesis of the materials and the development of design principles that guide the synthesis of materials with optimized properties. jg p.2