Electroinduced oxidative copolymerization of N-vinyl carbazole with methyl ethyl ketone formaldehyde resin

In this study, a novel procedure to obtain the non-crosslinked, photoconductive, white form of the linear copolymer of N-vinyl carbazole (NVCz) and methyl ethyl ketone formaldehyde resin (MEKF-R) is reported. A possible mechanism of copolymerization is suggested. The yield of the copolymer is increased almost 10 times by the addition of catalytic amounts of ceric ammonium nitrate as an oxidant during the electrochemical polymerization of NVCz in the presence of MEKF-R in a divided electrochemical cell. Since cerium(III) is readily oxidized to cerium(IV) at the anode, the concentration of cerium(IV) remained constant and the deposition of green poly(NVCz) can be prevented.