Term: polyazomethines
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08887

Definition:
Polymers composed of macromolecules containing azomethine (azanylylidenemethanylylidene) linkages in the backbone: \[\ce{-N=CR-}\] where \(\ce{R}\) is hydrogen, or an alkyl or aryl group (structure-based polymer class name).

Notes:
1) A polymer with only pendant azomethine groups is excluded.
2) The name azomethine is derived from the traditional names 'azo' for azanylylidene group \(\ce{-N=}\) and methine' for the methanylylidene group \(\ce{-CH=}\).
3) The original distinction between polyazomethines and poly(Schiff base)s, which is that a group \(\ce{R}\) in \(\ce{-N=CR-}\) linkage cannot be hydrogen in a polyazomethine but can be hydrogen in a poly(Schiff base), making polyazomethines a subclass of poly(Schiff base)s, has nearly completely disappeared.

Example:  [image]

Example: Array

Image: polyazomethines (https://goldbook.iupac.org/img/inline/08887.jpg) 

Source: PAC, 2022, 94, 15. 'Glossary of terms relating to electronic, photonic and magnetic properties of polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 2021)' on page 55 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2020-0501)

Citation: 'polyazomethines' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08887

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