Aromatic naphthalene and perylene condensn. prods. - can be converted into conductive derivs. by doping with oxidising or reducing substances or by anodic oxidn

Aromatic condensn. prods. of formula (Ia) and (Ib) are new. In the formulae, the dotted lines indicate that the naphthalene or perylene units may be bonded together by single or double bonds; R1 and R2 = H, 1-12C alkyl, 3-8C cycloalkyl, phenyl or benzyl; m = 1-500 and n = 0-500. Derivs. of these rendered conductive by doping with oxidising or reducing substances or by anodic oxidn. at 0.05-100 mA/cm2 are also claimed. USE/ADVANTAGE - The polymers (Ia) and (Ib) are stable at very high temps. and are soluble in organic solvents. By doping with oxidising substances, e.g. AsF5, SbF5, Br, I, TiCl4, solns. or suspension of metal halides e.g. FeCl3, ZrCl4 and AlCl3 in nitromethane, F-contg. nitrogen oxide cpds. in nitromethane/methylene chloride, transition metal halides and reducing substances, etc.; and anodic oxidn. using an electrolyte soln. comprising a soln. or suspension of a conductive salt e.g. with an alkali(ne earth) metal cation and an (in)organic anion such as BF4, AsF6, SbF6, SbCl6, perchlorate, sulphate, bisulphate, sulphonate, benzenesulphonate or benzoate, electrically conductive derivs. are obtd. The aromatic condensn. prods. (Ia) and (Ib) are useful heat insulators, e.g. as support substances for heating elements. The doped derivs. with increased electrical conductivity are useful in the mfr. of electrodes.