Synthesis and Characterization of Some New Metal-Containing Polymers for Third Order Nonlinear Optical Applications

Abstract

We report here our preliminary results on the synthesis and characterization of a new family of metal-containing polymers incorporating 8-hydroxyquinoline. These polymers have the following structural features: a metal center, a chromophore, and a flexible spacer group with variable length. These structural features allow us to have an appreciable degree of control over various physical properties of these materials. We report on three different types of polymers: polyethers, polyesters, and polyamides. The chromophores in these polymers were incorporated in the backbone and in one case as a side chain of polyesters.