The Synthesis and Characterization of Energy-Conducting Polymers with Pendant Inorganic Chromophores

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe are interested in the synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation of functional nanoscale materials comprised of a polymeric scaffold with appended cationic transition-metal lumiphores. We have developed a methodology to prepare, spectroscopically characterize, and evaluate a series of organic copolymers functionalized with inorganic chromophores. Preparation of these hybrid systems first involves the synthesis of a linear AB diblock copolymeric scaffold in which A is polystyrene (PS) and B is poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene) (PStBOC), using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain-Transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization. The PStBOC block (B) was converted into poly(4-hydroxystyrene) by acid hydrolysis of the t-BOC moieties, and Ru(II) trisbipyridyl complexes were covalently appended using standard ester coupling reagents. These lumiphores were selected due to their strong absorbance in the visible spectrum, chemical/photochemical stability, useful redox properties, and long-lived excited state lifetimes. Attachment of the cationic transition-metal chromophores to block B of these linear AB diblock copolymeric arrays is expected to promote solid-state self-assembly into nanoscale structures. The metal-loaded macromolecular assemblies were characterized spectroscopically and the determination of the solid-state morphology of films of these materials was investigated using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).