Electrochemical synthesis of stannane_silane and stannane_germane copolymers

Poly(dibutylstannylene-co-dibutylsilylene) and poly(dibutylstannylene-codibutylgermylene) were synthesized for the first time, by electrochemical reduction of dibutyldichlorostannane together with dibutyldichlorosilane and dibutyldichlorogermane, respectively, in a one-compartment cell equipped with a platinum cathode and a silver anode, using tetrabutylammonium perchlorate and 1,2dimethoxyethane as the supporting electrolyte and the solvent, respectively. Most of absorption peaks observed for the copolymers were located between those of polystannylene and polysilylene/polygermylene. A copolymer with relatively high stannane content had a relatively long absorption peak, which is close to that of a homopolymer polydibutylstannylene. A copolymer with a higher stannane content was more sensitive to the moisture in air.