Polymers tailored for redox‐ and photoactivity

Abstract

AbstractThe synthesis of polymers tailored for a specific redox‐ and photoactivity is described.The title compounds can generally be depicted as consisting of electrophoric or chromophoric building blocks which are linked by variable bridging groups.Their properties depend on the nature of both units in the polymer chain. The bridging group between the electrophoric units can be saturated or conjugated and can be incorporated directly upon polymer formation. However, in other polymers such bridging groups are already present, which allow one to switch between an unsaturated and saturated linking.With the “reductive polymerization”, a new method to link e.g. anthracene and isopyrene units is proposed. A Heck‐type reaction and the boronic acid coupling according to Suzuki are used for generating conjugated polymers.In the case of polymers containing 2,2′‐distyrylbiphenyl units it is possible to interrupt π‐conjugation via electron‐transfer or UV‐irradiation. With a thermal ring‐opening reaction of cyclobutene units, a method is shown to create conjugation between π‐systems. By hydrogen elimination in a polymethide structure highly conjugated polymers can be created.