Vinylimidazole copolymers: coordination chemistry, solubility, and cross-linking as function of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ complexation

P(1-VIm-co-MMA) copolymers with 4 or 44 wt.% 1-VIm (abbreviated PVM-4 and PVM-44) where polymerized from 1-VIm (1-vinylimidazole) and methylmethacrylate with azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator and reacted with either Cu²⁺ or Zn²⁺. The resulting coordinated polymer complexes were studied using ICP-AES, CP/MAS ¹³C NMR, conductivity measurements, vibrational spectroscopy (mid-FTIR and far-FTIR), DSC, and EPR. It was established by ICP-AES, CP/MAS ¹³C NMR, conductivity, mid-FTIR and EPR measurements that the transition metal ions in the complexes were exclusively coordinated by the imidazole ligand. The coordination geometry is square planar with regard to Cu(II) complexes. The strong interaction between the polymeric imidazole ligand and the transition metal ion cross-links the system, resulting in augmentation of T _g (the glass transition temperature), especially for copolymers with high relative amount of 1-VIm. The effect of changing metal ion is more complicated and depends on both the strength of the coordinate interaction as well as the coordination number. The solubility of the coordinate polymer complex in conventional solvents is low due to the coordinate cross-links. However, the coordinate polymer complexes are soluble in strongly coordinating solvents such as acetonitrile and dimethylsulfoxide.