Rhodium(I) tris(pyrazolyl)borate
complexes
TpR2Rh(cod) (R = Me, Ph, i-Pr) were
found to serve as
efficient catalysts for highly stereoregular
polymerization
of phenylacetylene derivatives
(p-YC6H4C⋮CH; Y =
H,
Me, Cl, CN, CO2Me, COMe, NO2) to give
poly(phenylacetylene) species having a head-to-tail, cis-transoidal
structure. The catalytic activity was strongly
affected
by the substituents (R) at the 3- and 5-positions of the
pyrazolyl groups, and the more sterically demanding R
groups led to higher catalytic activity.