| Abstract: | Six aromatic oligoazomethines were synthesized containing seven benzene rings each. The terminal rings were substituted with different groups, namely, H, Cl, NO2, OH, OCH3 and CH3. The synthesis was carried out by condensing the para‐substituted benzaldehydes with benzidine to give the three‐ring compound, which was then condensed with terephthaldehyde to give the respective seven‐benzene‐ring oligomers. The oligomers were characterized by elemental analysis, electronic spectra, Fourier‐transform infrared and thermal analysis. The oligomers were used to investigate the effects of their molecular structure on their electronic spectra, as well as their thermal, electronic and electrical properties. The different conformers were reported and compared. The DC electrical conductivity variation of oligoazomethines was studied in the temperature range 300–500 K after annealing for 24 h at 100 °C and after doping with 5% I2. An attempt was made to relate the DC electrical conductivity, electronic properties and thermal properties to the chain length, substituted groups and coplanarity. The fairly low conductivity obtained was attributed to the non‐linearity of the rings in the chain. The different groups (neutral, electron withdrawing or electron donating) attached at the ends of the oligomer showed no influence upon the conductivity of the different oligomers. The action of doping gave almost the same enhancement as that noticed in the case of a long‐chain polymer. The DC electrical conductivity was interpreted using the band energy model. The seven‐benzene‐ring oligomer gave the same DC electrical conductivity as the long‐chain polymer. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry |
