In situ intercalative polymerization of pyrrole in FeOCl: a new class of layered, conducting polymer-inorganic hybrid materials

The authors report here a structural form of polypyrrole in which polymerization and intercalation of pyrrole are brought about within the constrained van der Waals gap of a layered inorganic solid (FeOCl). Oxidative intercalation of organic molecules with concomitant reduction of the inorganic lattice is well established for FeOCl, and in the present case affords a novel class of conductive polymer-inorganic hybrid materials. The reaction of FeOCl with excess neat pyrrole (60/sup 0/C) yields a material analyzing as (Ppy)/sub 0.34/FeOCl. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal high crystallinity and an increase in FeOCl interlayer (b-axis) spacing from 7.980 to 13.210 A.