NASA NTRS1985
As starting materials for the preparation of polyradicals of triphenylmethyl type linked by p-phenylene units bis(4-iodophenylmethane) and bis(4-iodo-2,5-dimethyl-phenylmethane) were synthesized by a Sandmeyer reaction from the corresponding diamino compounds and subsequently transformed into the corresponding polymeric hydrocarbons 6a and 6b by an Ullmann condensation. In the following step 6a and 6b were brominated at the tert. carbon atom by means of N-bromosuccinimide. The reaction of the resulting poly (4,4'-biphenylylen-alpha-bromobenzylidene)s (7a and 7b) with mercury afforded the corresponding radicals, the ESR spectra of which were recorded. From the methyl substituted polymer 7b poly (2,2'5,5-tetramethyl-4,4'-bi-phenylylen)phenylmethylidyne was formed, whereas the unsubstituted product 7a was transformed into a para-quinoide polymer with radical properties.