Synthesis of fluoro‐substituted silole‐containing conjugated materials

2,5‐Dihydroxyboryl‐1,1‐dimethyl‐3,4‐bis(3‐fluorophenyl)‐silole ( 2a ) was prepared in 40% overall yield by reaction between 3‐fluorophenyl‐acetylene and dichlorodimethylsilane to yield bis[2(3‐fluorophenyl)ethynyl]dimethylsilane ( 1a ), which subsequently undergoes a reductive cyclization reaction using an excess of lithium naphthalenide. The fluoro substituted silole was applied as a co‐monomer in the Suzuki polycondensation reaction with 2,7‐dibromo‐9,9‐dioctyl‐fluorene. An oligomer ( 3a ) with a degree of polymerization of 6 was prepared and compared with an oligomer without fluoro substitution on the silole ( 3b ), with a degree of polymerization of 4. The new oligomers were spin coated onto glass slides and showed weak green photoluminescence (PL) in the solid state. Cyclic voltammetry, visible absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations showed that the fluoro substituents were sufficiently electron withdrawing to lower both the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in the oligomer. Two further alternating co‐oligomers were prepared from 2,5‐dihydroxyboryl‐1,1‐dimethyl‐3,4‐bis(phenyl)‐silole ( 2b ) and 1,3‐dibromo‐5‐fluoro‐benzene ( 4a ) or 1,3‐dibromobenzene ( 4b ). These oligomers both had degrees of polymerization of 8 and showed green PL in the solid state. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5116–5125, 2009     

Synthesis,characterization, photo‐induced alignment,and surface orientation of poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐alt‐azobenzene)s

Three types of bi‐functionalized copolymers ( P1FAz , P2FAz , and P3FAz ) with different numbers of fluorene units and an azobenzene unit were synthesized and characterized using UV–vis and polarized absorption spectroanalysis. The trans‐cis photoisomerization was conformed under 400 nm light irradiation for all copolymers in chloroform. However, in the film state, only the trans‐cis photoisomerization occurred by mono‐fluorene attached copolymer poly[(9,9‐di‐n‐octylfluorenyl‐2,7‐diyl)‐alt‐4,4′‐azobenzene)] ( P1FAz ). Photo‐induced alignment was achieved using the P1FAz film after irradiation with linear polarized 400 nm light and subsequent annealing at 60 °C. Surface orientation of a spin‐coating film of poly(9,9‐didodecylfluorene) ( F12 ) was achieved using the photo‐induced alignment layer of the P1FAz film after annealing at 90 °C. The photo‐induced alignment layer of P1FAz has potential application to the surface orientation technique for appropriate polymers, which will be useful for the fabrication of optoelectronics devices. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Synthesis and chemosensing behavior of fluorene‐based alternating copolymers containing ether side chains and Si–vinylene units in the main chain

Alternating copolymerization of 9,9‐bis(3,6,9‐trioxadecyl)‐2,7‐dibromofluorene (ODFl) or 9,9‐bis(3,6‐dioxaheptyl)‐2,7‐dibromofluorene with Si containing divinyl compounds, divinyldiphenylsilane (VPS), or divinyldimethylsilane (VMS) is investigated using the Mizoroki–Heck reaction with palladium(II) acetate. The corresponding alternating copolymer is obtained in the copolymerization of ODFl with VPS. The copolymerization of ODFl with VMS yields low molecular weight oligomers. Optical properties of the ODFl–VPS copolymer have been investigated with UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The ODFl–VPS copolymer shows absorption peaks due to π–π* transition and intramolecular charge transfer through σ–π moiety at around 330 and 360–400 nm, respectively. An emission peak is observed at 450 nm in the PL spectrum of the ODFl–VPS copolymer, and the PL quantum yield is 0.19. The PL spectroscopy of ODFl–VPS copolymer is investigated in the presence of Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺, and the intensity of emission peak is decreased by those metal cations, especially by Na⁺. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011.     

Poly(fluorenevinylene) derivatives by Heck coupling: Synthesis,photophysics, and electroluminescence

Three new poly(fluorenevinylene) derivatives were synthesized, characterized, and used as emissive materials in light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). They were synthesized by Heck coupling of 9,9‐dihexyl‐2,7‐divinylfluorene with 2,7‐dibromo‐9,9‐dihexylfluorene, 2,3‐bis(4‐bromophenyl)quinoxaline, or 2,5‐bis(4‐bromophenyl)‐3,4‐diphenylthiophene to afford the polymers F , Q , and T , respectively. Polymers F and Q had medium number–average molecular weights (M_n ? 14,000) with relatively narrow polydispersity (1.3–1.6), while T was obtained as an oligomer (M_n ? 4000). All polymers were soluble in common organic solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, dichloromethane, and toluene. They emitted blue‐greenish fluorescence light in dilute THF solution (444–491 nm), with photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields of 0.32–0.54, and in thin film (453–488 nm). LEDs with the configuration of ITO/PEDOT‐PSS/Polymer/Li:Al were fabricated and evaluated. The electroluminescence (EL) spectra of the Q and F polymers were very broad covering the blue–green–red region, whereas the spectrum of the polymer T was almost purely blue. The threshold electrical field for light emission of the devices was almost the same (?1.75 MV/cm). The external quantum efficiency of the devices of polymers Q and F was about 1.0 × 10^?3%, whereas that of polymer T was ?3.0 × 10^?5%. The fluorescence lifetime of polymers F and Q was significantly longer than that of the polymer T . © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4494–4507, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of novel red‐emitting alternating copolymers based on fluorene and diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives

Two novel alternating copolymers, poly{9,9‐dihexylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl‐alt‐2,5‐dioctyl‐3,6‐bis(4‐phenyl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c] pyrrole‐1,4‐dione} ( P1 ) and poly{9,9‐dihexylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl‐alt‐2,5‐dioctyl‐3,6‐bis(3‐phenyl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c] pyrrole‐1,4‐dione} ( P2 ), derived from 9,9‐dihexylfluorene and diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), have been successfully synthesized through palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation in good yields. P1 and P2 possess moderate molecular weights and polydispersities, well‐defined structures, and excellent thermal properties with an onset decomposition temperature around 400 °C. Both P1 and P2 in thin films exhibit red photoluminescence from DPP species exclusively, with peaks at 609 and 616 nm, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry studies show that P1 and P2 have low‐lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels at ?3.65 eV and reversible reduction processes, so these polymers may constitute another kind of red‐emitting polymer with high electron affinity. Preliminary electroluminescent results of devices with an indium tin oxide/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/polymer/Ba/Al configuration reveal that P1 may be a promising candidate for red emitters with a maximum brightness of 153 cd/m² and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 0.13%, whereas the performance of P2 is relatively poor. These differences might originate from different conjugation lengths in their main chain. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2395–2405, 2006     

New blue electroluminescent n‐type polyfluorene copolymers with a 1,3,4‐oxadiazole unit in the main chain

Novel polyfluorene copolymers alternately having an 1,3,4‐oxadiazole unit in the main chain were prepared by both one‐step and two‐step methods for polyoxadiazole synthesis. They displayed highly efficient blue photoluminescence, the properties of which were affected by the extent of conjugation and the changes in the electron density by a side chain. An electrochemical analysis of the polymers using cyclic voltammetry suggested that they could be used as electron‐transport/hole‐blocking materials as well as blue emission materials for polymer light‐emitting diodes. A simple double‐layer device consisting of poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) as a hole‐transport layer and poly[(9,9′‐didodecylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl)‐alt‐((1,4‐bis(1,3,4‐oxadiazole)‐2,5‐di(2‐ethylhexyloxy)phenylene)‐5,5′‐diyl)] as an emission layer exhibited narrow blue electroluminescence with a maximum at 430 nm. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1058–1068, 2004     

Cationic,water‐soluble,fluorene‐containing poly(arylene ethynylene)s: Effects of water solubility on aggregation,photoluminescence efficiency,and amplified fluorescence quenching in aqueous solutions

Three novel fluorene‐containing poly(arylene ethynylene)s with amino‐functionalized side groups were synthesized through the Sonogashira reaction. They were poly{9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene}‐alt‐co‐{2,5‐bis[3′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)‐1′‐oxapropyl]‐1,4‐phenylene} ( P1 ), poly{9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene} ( P2 ), and poly({9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene}‐alt‐co‐(1,4‐phenylene)) ( P3 ). Through the postquaternization treatment of P1 – P3 with methyl iodide, we obtained their cationic water‐soluble conjugated polyelectrolytes (WSCPs): P1′ – P3′ . The water solubility was gradually improved from P3′ to P1′ with increasing contents of hydrophilic side chains. After examining the ultraviolet–visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra, fluorescence lifetimes, and dynamic light scattering data, we propose that with the reduction of the water solubility from P1′ to P3′ , they exhibited a gradually increased degree of aggregation in H₂O. The PL quantum yields of P1′ – P3′ in H₂O displayed a decreasing tendency consistent with the increased degree of aggregation, suggesting that the pronounced degree of aggregation was an important reason for the low PL quantum yields of WSCPs in H₂O. Two structurally analogous water‐soluble trimers of P2′ and P3′ , model compounds 2,7‐bis(9″,9″‐bis{6‴‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium] hexyl}‐2″‐fluorenylethynyl)‐9,9‐bis{6′‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium]hexyl}fluorene hexaiodide and 1,4‐bis(9′,9′‐bis{6″‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium]hexyl}‐2′‐fluorenylethynyl)benzene tetraiodide, were synthesized. The amplified fluorescence quenching of these WSCPs by Fe(CN)₆⁴⁻ in H₂O was studied by comparison with a corresponding analogous trimer. The effects of aggregation on the fluorescence quenching may be two‐edged in these cases. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5778–5794, 2006     

Positioning lithium ions by host–guest chemistry combined with self‐assembly using a thiophene‐based all‐conjugated amphiphilic block copolymer

Self‐assembly of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) ( P3HT) driven by π–π stacking, combined with “Host‐Guest Chemistry” of ethylene glycol oligomer and lithium ion is demonstrated using a thiophene‐based all conjugated amphiphilic block copolymer, containing 93 mol % of P3HT and 7 mol % of poly(3‐(2‐(2‐{2‐[2‐(2‐methoxy‐ethoxy)‐ethoxy]‐ethoxy}‐ethyl))thiophene), P3EGT blocks. An ion chelating ability of ethylene glycol oligomers with lithium ions in the P3EGT block is confirmed using ¹H‐NMR spectrometry. This method could allow positioning lithium ions at the interface between P3HT domains and PC₆₁BM clusters, confirmed using XRD and photoluminescence quenching experiments. The compact lamellar P3HT domains by side repulsion driven self‐assembly of amphiphilic block copolymer and the molecular engineering of the interface with an optimized lithium contents are resulted in the improvement of photovoltaic performance in an organic solar cell (2.1–3.0%). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1068–1074     

Synthesis and characterization of a new ethynyl‐linked alternating anthracene/fluorene copolymer for organic thin film transistor

A new p‐type conjugated copolymer, poly(9,10‐diethynylanthracene‐alt‐9,9‐didodecylfluorene) (PDADF), which is composed of ethynyl‐linked alternating anthracene/fluorene, is synthesized via a palladium(II)‐catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reaction with 9,10‐diethynylanthracene and 2,7‐diiodo‐9,9‐didodecyl‐fluorene. The obtained polymer is confirmed by FTIR, ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR and elemental analysis. The PDADF had very good solubility in organic solvents such as chloroform and had a weight average molecular weight of 29,300 with a polydispersity index of 1.29. The PL maximum of the polymer was found at 533 and 568 nm for a solution and 608 nm for film, respectively. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy of the polymer is ?5.62 eV as measured via cyclic voltammetry (CV). A solution‐processed thin film transistor device showed a carrier mobility value of 6.0 × 10^?4 cm²/Vs with a threshold voltage of ?17 V and a capacitance (C_i) of 10 nF/cm². The out‐of‐plane and in‐plane GIXD pattern of spin‐coated polymer on SiO₂ dielectric surfaces showed an amorphous halo near 2θ = 20°. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1609–1616, 2009     

Hyperbranched and thermally cross‐linkable oligomer from a new 2,5,7‐tri‐functional fluorene monomer

New hyperbranched (HOFV) and linear oligomers (LOFV) were prepared from 2‐bromo‐5,7‐divinyl‐9,9‐dihexylfluorene (AB₂) and 2‐bromo‐7‐vinyl‐9,9‐dihexylfluorene, respectively, by the Heck reaction to study the effect of hyperbranched structure. The oligomers were readily soluble in common organic solvents. The weight‐average molecular weights (M_w) of HOFV and LOFV, determined by gel permeation chromatography using polystyrene as standard, were 2350 and 3950, respectively. Optical properties, both in solution and film state, were investigated using absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. In film state, the absorption and PL spectra peaked at 416 ～ 425 nm and 473 ～ 503 nm, respectively. The HOFV showed energy funnel effect and enhanced fluorescence efficiency owing to the hyperbranched structure. The HOMO and LUMO levels of HOFV (LOFV), estimated from their cyclic voltammograms, were ?5.25 (?5.34) eV and ?2.66 (?2.75) eV, respectively. Thermal curing of HOFV to form cross‐linked HPFV (hyperbranched poly(fluorenevinylene)) was studied by IR, DSC, UV–visible spectra, NMR, AFM and SEM. The terminal vinyl groups in HOFV film almost disappeared to provide smooth, homogeneous and solvent‐resistant films of HPFV. Two‐layer PLED devices (ITO/PEDOT/HPFV/Ca/Al) exhibited maximal luminance and luminous efficiency of 1480 cd/m² and 0.18 cd/A, respectively, which were superior to its linear counterpart LPFV (352 cd/m², 0.06 cd/A). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 70–84, 2008     

Electroluminescent copolymers based on dihexylfluorene and 2‐{2,6‐bis[2‐(4‐diphenylaminophenyl)vinyl]pyran‐4‐ylidene}malononitrile units

A series of statistical copolymers (poly[(9,9‐di‐n‐hexylfluorene)‐co‐2‐{2,6‐bis‐[2‐(4‐diphenylaminophenyl)vinyl]pyran‐4‐ylidene}malononitrile) were synthesized by the Suzuki coupling reaction. The copolymers showed absorption bands at 379 and 483–489 nm, which were attributed to the oligofluorene segments and the segments containing 2‐[2,6‐bis(2‐{4‐[(4‐bromophenyl)phenylamino]phenyl}vinyl)pyran‐4‐ylidene]malononitrile ( 3 ), respectively. The absorption band around 483–489 nm increased with the feed ratio of 3 . The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the copolymers showed emission bands at 420 and 573–620 nm. As the feed ratio of 3 increased, the PL emission in the longer wavelength region redshifted, and the intensity increased as well. The electroluminescence (EL) spectrum of the copolymers showed a very weak emission at 420 nm. The PL and EL emission colors redshifted dramatically with the increase in the feed ratio of 3 . The highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels of the model compound (2‐{2,6‐bis[2‐(4‐diphenylaminophenyl)vinyl]pyran‐4‐ylidene}malononitrile) were determined to be ?5.34 and ?3.14 eV, respectively. It was concluded that energy transfer took place from the oligofluorene blocks to the segments containing 3 and that direct charge trapping occurred in the segments containing 3 during the EL operation. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of the copolymer (x = 0.63, y = 0.37) containing 10 mol % 3 were very close to those (x = 0.67, y = 0.33) for National Television System Committee (NTSC) red with a maximum photometric power efficiency of 0.27 cd/A. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3729–3737, 2006     

Synthesis and properties of new fluorene‐based polyquinoxalines with an ether linkage in the main chain for light‐emitting diodes

A new series of fluorene‐based polyquinoxalines with an ether linkage in the main chain were prepared by the polycondensation reaction between a tetraketone monomer and 3,3′,4,4′‐tetraaminodiphenyl ether. The polycondensation was usually carried out in m‐cresol. The resulting polymers ( P1 – P3 ) [ P1 = poly(quinoxaline‐co‐9,9‐dihexyl‐2,7‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluorene) P2 = poly(quioxaline‐co‐9,9‐dihexyl‐9‐pentyl‐2,7‐di‐p‐tolyl‐9H‐fluorene) P3 = poly(quioxaline‐co‐9,9‐bis‐(4‐methoxy‐phenyl)‐2,7‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluorene)] showed good solubility in common organic solvents and high thermal stability with only a 5% weight loss up to 440 °C. P1 and P2 had very high glass‐transition temperatures of 212 and 223 °C, respectively, whereas P3 did not show any phase‐transition temperature in repeated scans up to 300 °C. All the polymers in photoluminescence showed blue emissions in the range of 432–465 nm, both in chloroform solutions and in thin films. Light‐emitting diode devices of the configuration indium tin oxide/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/polymer:poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) blend (2:8)/LiF/Al were fabricated with P1 or P2 and emitted blue light with electroluminescence peak wavelengths of 434 and 448 nm, respectively. The maximum brightness and the external quantum efficiency of P1 were 0.56 μW/cm² at 29 V and 0.056%, whereas P2 showed 0.50 μW/cm² at 34 V and a relatively low value of 0.015%, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry studies revealed that these polymers possessed low‐lying ionization potential energy levels ranging from ?5.49 to ?5.86 eV and low‐lying electron affinity energy levels ranging from ?2.65 to ?2.88 eV. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1189–1198, 2006     

Energy transfer in poly(3‐hexylthiophene)‐g‐Polyfluorene graft copolymers

Conjugated graft copolymers consisting of a poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) backbone and poly(9,9'‐dioctylfluorene) side chains (PF) with different grafting degrees were synthesized by the CuAAC reaction. The properties of these materials were studied by UV‐Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The former technique provides insight in their self‐assembly, while the latter is used to study the energy funneling from the PF side chains to the P3HT backbone. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1252–1258     

Two‐sided comb poly(amic ester)–poly(propylene oxide) graft copolymers as porous polyimide precursors

New step‐growth graft block copolymers were synthesized. These two‐sided comb copolymers consisted of a poly(amic ester) (PAE) backbone and pendant poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) grafts. The copolymers were made via a macromonomer approach, in which the 4,6‐bischlorocarbonyl isophthalic acid bis[poly(propylene oxide)] ester macromonomer was synthesized through the reaction of hydroxyl‐terminated PPO oligomers with pyromellitic dianhydride and oxalyl chloride. This macromonomer was subsequently used in step‐growth polymerization with comonomers 4,6‐bischlorocarbonyl isophthalic acid diethyl ester, 2,5‐bischlorocarbonyl terephthalic acid diethyl ester, and 2,2‐bis[4‐ (4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl] hexafluoropropane, and this yielded PPO‐co‐PAE graft copolymers. Accordingly, we report the synthesis and characterization of the PPO oligomer, the PPO macromonomer, and their corresponding PPO‐co‐PAE graft copolymers. Graft copolymers with PPO concentrations of 3–26 wt % were synthesized. These polymers were thermally cured to produce polyimide/PPO composites. The thermolysis of these polyimide/PPO composites yielded porous polyimide films with porosities ranging of 4–22.5%. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2266–2275, 2005     

Copolyfluorenes containing phenothiazine or thiophene derivatives: Synthesis,characterization, and application in white‐light‐emitting diodes

Four copolyfluorenes chemically doped with 0.1 and 1 mol % 3,7‐bis[2‐thiophene‐2‐yl)‐2‐cyanovinyl]phenothiazine ( PFPhT ) or 2,5‐bis[2‐(thiophene‐2‐yl)‐2‐cyanovinyl]thiophene chromophores ( PFThT ) were synthesized using the Suzuki coupling reaction and applied in white‐light‐emitting devices. They were characterized by GPC, elemental analysis, DSC, TGA, optical spectra, and cyclic voltammetry. They exhibited good thermal stability (T_d > 420 °C) and moderate glass transition temperatures (>95 °C). The PhT‐Br and ThT‐Br showed PL peaks at 586 and 522 nm (with a shoulder at 550 nm). In film state, PL spectra of the copolymers comprised emissions from the fluorene segments and the chromophores due to incomplete energy transfer. Both monomers exhibited low LUMO levels around ?3.50 to ?3.59 eV, whereas the PhT‐Br owned the higher HOMO level (?5.16 eV) due to its electron‐donating phenothiazine core. Light‐emitting diodes with a structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/copolymer/Ca(50 nm)/Al(100 nm) showed broad emission depending on the chromophore contents. The maximum brightness and maximum current efficiency of PFPhT2 ( PFThT1 ) device were 8690 cd/m² and 1.43 cd/A (7060 cd/m² and 0.98 cd/A), respectively. White‐light emission was realized by further blending PFPhT2 with poly(9,9‐dihexylfluorene) (w/w = 10/1), with the maximum brightness and maximum current efficiency being 10,600 cd/m² and 1.85 cd/A. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 833–844, 2009     

Synthesis and characterization of new poly(aryl ether)s with isolated fluorophores

Four novel poly(aryl ether)s ( P1 – P4 ) consisting of alternate isolated electron‐transporting (3,3″′‐bis‐trifluoromethyl‐p‐quaterphenyl for P1 , P3 or 3,3″′‐dicyano‐p‐quaterphenyl for P2 , P4 ) and hole‐transporting fluorophores [N‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐3,6‐bis(styryl)carbazole for P1 , P2 or 9,9‐dihexyl‐2,7‐bis(styryl)fluorene for P3 , P4 ] were synthesized and characterized. These poly(aryl ether)s can be dissolved in organic solvents and exhibited good thermal stability with 5% weight‐loss temperature above 500 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. The photoluminescent (PL) spectra of the films of these polymers showed maximum peaks at around 442–452 nm. The PL spectral results revealed that the emission of polymers was dominated by the fluorophores with longer emissive wavelength via the energy transfer from p‐quaterphenyl to 3,6‐bis(styryl)carbazole or 2,7‐bis(styryl)fluorene segments. Therefore, the p‐quaterphenyl segments function only as the electron‐transporting/hole‐blocking units in these polymers, and the other segments are the emissive centers and hole‐transporting units. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels of these polymers were measured by cyclic voltammetry. The electron‐donating nitrogen atom on carbazole resulted in the higher HOMO energy levels of P1 and P2 than those of P3 and P4 . The single‐layer light‐emitting diodes (LED) of Al/poly(aryl ether)s ( P1 – P4 )/ITO glass were fabricated. P1 , P2 , and P4 revealed blue electroluminescence, but P3 emitted yellow light as a result of the excimer emission. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2215–2224, 2002     

Optical and electronic properties of fluorene‐based copolymers and their sensory applications

A series of novel, fluorene‐based conjugated copolymers, poly[(9,9‐bis{propenyl}‐9H‐fluorene)‐co‐(9,9‐dihexyl‐9H‐fluorene)] ( P1 ), poly[(9,9‐bis{carboxymethylsulfonyl‐propyl}fluorenyl‐2,7‐diyl)‐co‐(9,9‐dihexyl‐9H‐fluorene)] ( P2 ) and poly[(9,9‐dihexylfluorene)‐co‐alt‐(9,9‐bis‐(6‐azidohexyl)fluorene)] ( P3 ), are synthesized by Suzuki coupling reactions and their electrochemical properties, in the form of films, are investigated using cyclic voltammetry. The results reveal that the polymer films exhibit electrochromic properties with a pseudo‐reversible redox behavior; transparent in the neutral state and dark violet in the oxidized state. Among the three polymers, P2 possesses the shortest response time and the highest coloration efficiency value. These polymers emit blue light with a band gap value of around 2.9 eV and have high fluorescent quantum yields. Their metal ion sensory abilities are also investigated by titrating them with a number of different transition metal ions; all of these polymers exhibit a higher selectivity toward Fe³⁺ ions than the other ions tested with Stern–Volmer constants of 4.41 × 10⁶M^?1, 3.28 × 10⁷M^?1, 1.25 × 10⁶M^?1, and 6.56 × 10⁶M^?1 for P1 , P2 , water soluble version of P2 ( P2S ) and P3 , respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Medium band gap conjugated polymers from thienoacene derivatives and pentacyclic aromatic lactam as promising alternatives of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) in photovoltaic application

Two alternating medium band gap conjugated polymers (PBDT‐TPTI and PDTBDT‐TPTI) derived from 4,8‐bis(4,5‐dioctylthien‐2‐yl)benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene (BDT‐T) or 5,10‐bis(4,5‐didecylthien‐2‐yl)dithieno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d′]benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene (DTBDT‐T) with pentacyclic aromatic lactam of N,N‐didodecylthieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[3,4‐g]thieno[3,2‐c]‐iso‐quinoline‐5,11‐dione (TPTI), are synthesized and characterized. The comparative investigation of the photostabilities of the copolymers revealed that the PDTBDT‐TPTI film exhibited the comparable photostability in relative to P3HT. Meanwhile, the inverted photovoltaic cells (i‐PVCs) from the blend films of PBDT‐TPTI and/or PDTBDT‐TPTI with PC₇₁BM, in which poly[(9,9‐bis(3′‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)propyl)‐2,7‐fluorene)‐alt‐2,7‐(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)] were used as cathode modifying interlayer, presented higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 5.98% and 6.05% with photocurrent response ranging from 300 nm to 650 nm in contrast with the PCEs of 4.48% for the optimal inverted PVCs from P3HT/PC₇₁BM under AM 1.5 G 100 mW/cm². The PCEs of the i‐PVCs from PBDT‐TPTI and PDTBDT‐TPTI were improved to 7.58% and 6.91% in contrast to that of 0.02% for the P3HT‐based i‐PVCs, and the photocurrent responses of the devices were extended to 300–792 nm, when the ITIC was used as electron acceptor materials. The results indicate that the PBDT‐TPTI and PDTBDT‐TPTI can be used as the promising alternatives of notable P3HT in the photovoltaic application. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 85–95     

Synthesis of 9,9‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)fluorene‐based benzoxazine and properties of its high‐performance thermoset

A benzoxazine ( P‐bapf ) based on 9,9‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)fluorene (BAPF), phenol, and formaldehyde was successfully prepared using two‐pot and one‐pot procedures. In the two‐pot approach, BAPF initially reacted with 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde, leading to 9,9‐bis(4‐(2‐hydroxybenzylideneimino)phenyl)fluorene. The imine linkages of 9,9‐bis(4‐(2‐hydroxybenzylideneimino)phenyl)fluorene were then reduced by sodium borohydride, forming 9,9‐bis(4‐(2‐hydroxybenzylamino)phenyl)fluorene. Finally, paraformaldehyde was added to induce ring closure condensation, forming benzoxazine ( P‐bapf ). In the one‐pot approach, P‐bapf was obtained directly by reacting BAPF, phenol, and paraformaldehyde in various solvents. Among the solvents, we found that using toluene/ethanol (2/1, v/v) as a solvent leads to the best purity and yield. No gelation was observed in the preparation. The structure of the resulting benzoxazine was confirmed by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹H? ¹H and ¹H? ¹³C NMR spectra. P‐bapf exhibits a photoluminescent emission at 395 nm under an excitation of 275 nm. After curing, the resulting P‐bapf thermoset exhibits T_g as high as 236 °C, and the T_g can be further increased to 260 °C by copolymerization with an equal equivalent of cresol novolac epoxy. The 5% degradation temperature of the P‐bapf thermoset reaches as high as 413 °C (N₂) and 431 °C (air). The refractive index at 589 nm is as high as 1.70, demonstrating a high refractive index characteristic of fluorene linkage. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012