High-pressure, high-temperature synthesis of nanostructured polydiphenylbutadiyne confined in the 1-dimensional pores of single crystal AlPO4-54

The π-conjugated polymer polydiphenylbutadiyne was prepared at the nanoscale confined inside the 1.2 nm 1-D pores of the aluminophosphate AlPO4-54. Molten 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-dibutadiyne (DPB) was inserted in the pores of AlPO4-54 at pressures below 0.3 GPa as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Heating to 190 °C under a pressure of 0.4 GPa induced polymerization of DPB in the pores. Infrared microscopy indicates full polymerization in the pores and the presence of characteristic saturated C–H defects common to other nanostructured PDPB materials exhibiting important photocatalytic properties. This nanostructured PDPB confined in the hygroscopic AlPO4-54 host could be of interest for applications in gas sensing, photocatalysis and hydrogen generation.