The 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinoxy (TEMPO)-containing acetylenic monomers HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-(CONH-4-TEMPO)(2) (1), HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-(COO-4-TEMPO)(2) (2), (S,S,S,S)-HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-[CO-NHCH{COO-(4-TEMPO)}CH(2)COO-(4-TEMPO)](2) (3), (S,S)-HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)CO-NHCH{COO-(4-TEMPO)}CH(2)COO-(4-TEMPO) (4), HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)-p-OCO-4-TEMPO (5), HC[triple bond]CCH(2)C(CH(3))(CH(2)OCO-4-TEMPO)(2) (6), HC[triple bond]CCH(2)NHCO-4-TEMPO (7), and HC[triple bond]CCH(2)OCO-4-TEMPO (8) were polymerized to afford novel polymers containing the TEMPO radical at high densities. Monomers 1, 3-6, and 8 provided polymers with average molecular weights of 10 000-136 500 in 62-99 % yield in the presence of a rhodium catalyst, whereas monomers 2 and 7 gave insoluble polymers in 100 % yield. The formed polymers were thermally stable up to approximately 274 degrees C according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the TEMPO-containing polymers demonstrated reversible charge/discharge processes, whose discharge capacities were 21.3-108 A h kg(-1). In particular, the capacity of poly(1)-, poly(4)-, and poly(5)-based cells reached 108, 96.3, and 89.3 A h kg(-1), respectively, which practically coincided with their theoretical values.

TEMPO-containing norbornene monomers 1-8 (TEMPO ) 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy) were synthesized and polymerized via ring-opening metathesis using a ruthenium-carbene catalyst. The TEMPO moiety did not inhibit the polymerization, and the monomers gave corresponding polymers in good to high yields. Poly(2) and poly(3) were soluble in common solvents and possessed high molecular weight, while other polymers were insoluble. The resulting polymers were thermally stable up to ca. 240 °C according to TGA measurements in air. In the case of poly(1)-poly(3), the charge/discharge capacities of the polymer-based cells were largely dependent on the spatial arrangement of the two TEMPO moieties on each repeating unit. Quite interestingly, the capacity of the poly(2)-based cell reached its theoretical value (109 A h/kg), and a large capacity (>90 A h/kg) was retained even at high current densities up to 6 A/g, indicating the possibility of very fast charging (within 1 min). The cells utilizing the present polymers as cathode-active materials demonstrated excellent cycle life; e.g., the discharge capacities of poly(2) and poly(3) showed no more than 10% decrement even after 400 cycles.

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