Synthesis and Photovoltaic Properties of Thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione‐based donor–acceptor Copolymers

Three donor–acceptor (D–A) 1,3‐di(thien‐2‐yl)thieno [3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione‐based copolymers, poly{9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl‐alt‐1,3‐bis(4‐hexylthien‐2‐yl)‐5‐octylthieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione}, poly{N‐(1‐octylnonyl)carbazole‐2,7‐diyl‐alt‐1,3‐bis(4‐hexylthien‐2‐yl)‐5‐octylthieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione}, and poly {4,8‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxyl) benzo[1,2‐b:3,4‐b′]dithiophene‐alt‐1,3‐bis(4‐hexylthien‐2‐yl)‐5‐octylthieno[3,4‐c] pyrrole‐4,6‐dione} were synthesized by Suzuki or Stille coupling reaction. By changing the donor segment, the bandgaps and energy levels of these copolymers could be finely tuned. Cyclic voltammetric study shows that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of the three copolymers are deep‐lying, which implies that these copolymers have good stability in the air and the relatively low HOMO energy level assures a higher open‐circuit potential when they are used in photovoltaic cells. Bulk‐heterojunction photovoltaic cells were fabricated with these polymers as the donors and PC₇₁BM as the acceptor. The cells based on the three copolymers exhibited power conversion efficiencies of 0.22, 0.74, and 3.11% with large open‐circuit potential of 1.01, 0.99, and 0.90 V under one sun of AM 1.5 solar simulator illumination (100 mW/cm²). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Thieno[3,4‐c]phosphole‐4,6‐dione: A Versatile Building Block for Phosphorus‐Containing Functional π‐Conjugated Systems

A versatile phosphorus‐containing π‐conjugated building block, thieno[3,4‐c]phosphole‐4,6‐dione (TPHODO), has been developed. The utility of this simple but hitherto unknown building block has been demonstrated by preparing novel functional organophosphorus compounds and bandgap‐tunable conjugated polymers.     

Thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione‐3,4‐difluorothiophene Polymer Acceptors for Efficient All‐Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Branched‐alkyl‐substituted poly(thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione‐alt‐3,4‐difluorothiophene) (PTPD[2F]T) can be used as a polymer acceptor in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with a low‐band‐gap polymer donor (PCE10) commonly used with fullerenes. The “all‐polymer” BHJ devices made with PTPD[2F]T achieve efficiencies of up to 4.4 %. While, to date, most efficient polymer acceptors are based on perylenediimide or naphthalenediimide motifs, our study of PTPD[2F]T polymers shows that linear, all‐thiophene systems with adequately substituted main chains can also be conducive to efficient BHJ solar cells with polymer donors.     

A Convenient Alternative Route for the Synthesis of Bis(2,5‐dimethylpyrrolo[3,4‐d])tetrathiafulvalene

An alternative and efficient protocol for the synthesis of methylated pyrrolo‐tetrathiafulvalenes have been developed. The key intermediate in this new synthetic protocol is 4,6‐dimethyl‐N‐tosyl‐(1,3)‐dithiolo[4,5‐c]pyrrole‐2‐one, which can be obtained in high yield in a three‐step synthetic procedure from 5‐dimethyl‐3,4‐dithiocyanopyrrole.     

3,5‐Dihydro‐2H‐thieno[2,3‐c]pyrrole 1,1‐Dioxide – A New Simple Pyrrole Unit. Preliminary Communication

2,3‐Dihydrothiophene 1,1‐dioxide (‘2‐sulfolene’) reacted with tosylmethyl isocyanide (TsMIC) in the presence of a base to give the hitherto unknown 3,5‐dihydro‐2H‐thieno[2,3‐c]pyrrole 1,1‐dioxide (‘β′‐sulfolenopyrrole’) from the expected cyclocondensation. A serendipitous formation of this β′‐sulfolenopyrrole was found earlier, when we investigated synthetic routes to a 3,5‐dihydro‐1H‐thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole 2,2‐dioxide (a ‘β″‐sulfolenopyrrole’) from TsMIC and 2,5‐dihydrothiophene 1,1‐dioxide (‘3‐sulfolene’). Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of β′‐sulfolenopyrrole. The X‐ray crystal‐structure analyses of β′‐sulfolenopyrrole and the isomeric β″‐sulfolenopyrrole are also reported here. This β′‐sulfolenopyrrole is a new type of a functionalized pyrrole, which is likely to be of interest for pharmaceutical purposes.     

New photoluminescent conjugated polymers with 1,4‐dioxo‐3,6‐diphenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole (DPP) and 1,4‐phenylene units in the main chain

A series of π‐conjugated polymers and copolymers containing 1,4‐dioxo‐3,6‐diphenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole (also known as 2,5‐dihydro‐3,6‐diphenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione) (DPP) and 1,4‐phenylene units in the main chain is described. The polymers are synthesised using the palladium‐catalysed aryl‐aryl coupling reaction (Suzuki coupling) of 2,5‐dihexylbenzene‐1,4‐diboronic acid with 1,4‐dioxo‐2,5‐dihexyl‐3,6‐di(4‐bromophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole and 1,4‐dibromo‐2,5‐dihexylbenzene in different molar ratios. Soluble hairy rod‐type polymers with molecular weights up to 21 000 are obtained. Polymer solutions in common organic solvents such as chloroform or xylene are of orange colour (λ_max = 488 nm) and show strong photoluminescence (λ_max = 544 nm). The photochemical stability is found to be higher than for corresponding saturated polymers containing isolated DPP units in the main chain. Good solubility and processability into thin films render the compounds suitable for electronic applications.     

Donor–acceptor‐integrated conjugated polymers based on carbazole[3,4‐c:5,6‐c]bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole with tight π–π stacking for photovoltaics

An original strategy to construct a new donor–acceptor (D–A)‐integrated structure by directly imposing “pull” unit on the “push” moiety to form fused ring architecture has been developed, and poly{N‐alkyl‐carbazole[3,4‐c:5,6‐c]bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole‐alt‐thiophene} (PCBTT) with D–A‐integrated structure, in which two 1,2,5‐thiadiazole rings are fixed on carbazole in 3‐, 4‐ and 5‐, 6‐position symmetrically and thiophene is used as bridge, has been synthesized. The interaction between pull and push units has fine tuned the HOMO/LUMO energy levels, and the resulting copolymer covers the solar flux from 300 to 750 nm. The interaction between pull and push units is worth noting that due to the fused five rings inducing strong intermolecular interaction, an extremely short π–π stacking distance of 0.32 nm has been achieved for PCBTT both in powder and solid states. This is the shortest π–π stacking distance reported for conjugated polymers. Additionally, an obvious intramolecular charge transfer and energy transfer from donor units to acceptor units have been detected in this D–A integration. A moderate‐to‐high open‐circuit voltage of ～0.7 V in PCBTT:[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) (w/w = 1/2) solar cells is achieved due to the low‐lying HOMO energy level of PCBTT. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Thiophene π bridge effect on bulky side‐chained benzodithiophene‐based photovoltaic polymers

Recently, we have used terthiophene side chain to modify benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene (BDT) to form novel building block for BDT polymers. In this paper, this building block is used to copolymerized with thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione (TPD) and thieno[3,4‐b]thiophene (TT). This building block and TPD‐ or TT‐based polymers (P1 and P3) show high open circuit voltage (V_OC) (ca. 0.9–0.95 V) and low energy loss (E_g–eV_OC) in solar cells devices compared with similar polymers without bulky side chain. We further introduce thiophene π bridge into these polymers backbone to form two other polymers (P2 and P4). We find this thiophene π bridge does contribute to this bulky side chained benzodithiophene polymer photovoltaic performances, especially for power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). The polymer solar cells (PSCs) performances are moderate in this article due to the serious aggregation in the PSCs active layer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1615–1622     

On the π‐Electron Distribution in Biphenylene Analogues

The bonding situation in a series of biphenylene analogues – benzo[b]biphenylene and its dication, 4,10‐dibromobenzo[b]biphenylene, naphtho[2,3‐b]biphenylene and its dianion, benzo[a]biphenylene, (biphenylene)tricarbonylchromium, benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2‐c]thiophene, benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2‐c]thiophene 2‐oxide, benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2‐c]thiophene 2,2‐dioxide, 4,10‐diazabenzo[b]biphenylene, biphenylene‐2,3‐dione, benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2‐b]anthracene‐6,11‐dione, and 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2]cycloheptene – where one of the two benzo rings of biphenylene is replaced by a different π‐system (B) was investigated on the basis of the NMR parameters of these systems. From the vicinal ¹H,¹H spin‐spin coupling constants, the electronic structure of the remaining benzo ring (A) is derived via the Q‐value method. It is found that increasing tendency of B to tolerate exocyclic double bonds at the central four‐membered ring of these systems favors increased π‐electron delocalization in the A ring. The analysis of the chemical shifts supports this conclusion. NICS (nucleus‐independent chemical shift) values as well as C,C bond lengths derived from ab initio calculations are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. The charged systems benzo[b]biphenylene dication and naphtho[2,3‐b]biphenylene dianion ( 7 ²⁻) are also studied by ¹³C NMR measurements. The charge distribution found closely resembles the predictions of the simple HMO model and reveals that 7 ²⁻ can be regarded as a benzo[3,4]cyclobuta[1,2‐b]‐substituted anthracene dianion. It is shown that the orientation of the tricarbonylchromium group in complexes of benzenoid aromatics can be derived from the vicinal ¹H,¹H coupling constants.     

Poly(1,4‐diketo‐3,6‐diphenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐alt−3,6‐carbazole/2,7‐fluorene) as high‐performance two‐photon dyes

This article reports the synthesis, one‐ and two‐photon absorption, and excited fluorescence properties of poly(1,4‐diketo‐3,6‐diphenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐alt‐N‐octyl‐3,6‐carbazole/2,7‐fluorene) ( PDCZ / PDFL ). PDCZ and PDFL are synthesized by the Suzuki cross‐coupling of 2,5‐dioctyl‐1,4‐diketo‐3,6‐bis(p‐bromophenylpyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole and N‐octyl‐3,6‐bis(3,3‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)carbazole or 2,7‐bis(3,3‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)fluorene and have number‐average molecular weights of 8.5 × 10³ and 1.14 × 10⁴ g/mol and polydispersities of 2.06 and 1.83, respectively. They are highly soluble in common organic solvents and emit strong orange one‐ and two‐photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) in THF solution and exhibit high light and heat stability. The maximal two‐photon absorption cross‐sections (δ) measured in THF solution by the 2PEF method using femtosecond laser pulses are 970 and 900 GM per repeating unit for PDCZ and PDFL , respectively. These 1,4‐diketo‐pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐containing polymers with full aromatic structure and large δ will be promising high‐performance 2PA dyes applicable in two‐photon science and technology. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 944–951     

D–π–A–π–A Strategy to Design Benzothiadiazole–carbazole‐based Conjugated Polymer with High Solar Cell Voltage and Enhanced Photocurrent

The theoretical calculations are used to find that D–π–A–π–A style conjugated polymer PC‐TBTBT is more efficient for solar cells application than the D–π–A analog PC‐TBT because the D–π–A–π–A structure has a narrower band gap and higher molar absorption coefficient and redshift spectrum. Motivated by the theoretical prediction, 5,6‐bis(octyloxy)‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole and 2,7‐carbazole are adopted to synthesize the D–π–A–π–A style PC‐TBTBT (M_w = 31.1 kDa) and D–π–A analog PC‐TBT (M_w = 87.5 kDa) by Suzuki coupling reaction. Experimental results confirm that D–π–A–π–A PC‐TBTBT ‐based solar cell shows a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.74% with high V_OC of 0.99 V and enhanced J_SC of 9.70 mA cm⁻². The PCE and J_SC achieve improvements of 17% and 26%, respectively, compared to the D–π–A PC‐TBT ‐based solar cell.

     

Synthesis of [1,2,5]selena(or thia)diazolo[3,4‐e][1,4]diazepines, [1,2,5]selena(or thia)diazolo[3,4‐e][1,4]oxazepines and [1,2,5]selena(or thia)diazolo[3,4‐c] [1,2,6]thiadiazines

Novel heterocycles [1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4‐e][1,4]diazepines 3a‐c , [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4‐e]‐[1,4]diazepines 7a‐c , [1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4‐e][1,4]oxaepines 4a,b , [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4‐e]‐[1,4]oxazepines 9a‐c and [1,2,5]selena(or thia)diazolo[3,4‐c][1,2,6]thiadiazines 10a,b were synthesized starting form 4,6‐dimethyl[1,2,5]se]enadiazolo[3,4‐d]pyrimidine‐5,7(4H,6H)‐dione 1 or 4,6‐dimethyl‐[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4‐d]pyrimidine‐5,7(4H,6H)‐dione 5 .     

Donor–acceptor alternating π‐conjugated polymers containing Di(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrene and 2,5‐Bis(2‐octyldodecyl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4(2H,5H)‐dione for organic thin‐film transistors

New diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)‐containing conjugated polymers such as poly(2,5‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐3‐(5‐(pyren‐1‐yl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐6‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4(2H,5H)‐dione) (P(DTDPP‐alt‐(1,6)PY)) and poly(2,5‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐3‐(5‐(pyren‐2‐yl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐6‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4(2H,5H)‐dione) (P(DTDPP‐alt‐(2,7)PY)) were successfully synthesized via Suzuki coupling reactions under Pd(0)‐catalyzed conditions. P(DTDPP‐alt‐(2,7)PY), incorporating 2,5‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐3,6‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4(2H,5H)‐dione (DTDPP) at the 2,7‐position of a pyrene ring showed a lower band‐gap energy (E. = 1.65 eV) than the 1,6‐substituted analog, P(DTDPP‐alt‐(1,6)PY) (E = 1.71 eV). The energies of the molecular frontier orbitals of the substituted polymers were successfully tuned by changing the anchoring position of DTDPP from the 1,6‐ to the 2,7‐position of the pyrene ring. An organic thin‐film transistor fabricated using the newly synthesized P(DTDPP‐alt‐(2,7)PY), as a semiconductor material exhibited a maximum mobility of up to 0.23 cm² V^?1 s^?1 (I_on/off ～ 10⁶), which was much larger than that obtained using P(DTDPP‐alt‐(1,6)PY). This distinction is attributed to morphological differences in the solid state arising from differences between the geometrical configurations of DTDPP and the pyrene ring. In addition, the organic phototransistor devices made of P(DTDPP‐alt‐(2,7)PY) showed interesting photoinduced enhancement of drain current when irradiating the excitation light whose intensity is very small. Based on the photoinduced effect on I_DS, photocontrolled memory could be realized under the variation of gate voltages. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Recent Progress in All‐Polymer Solar Cells Based on Wide‐Bandgap p‐Type Polymers

All‐polymer solar cells (all‐PSCs), with the photoactive layer exclusively composed of polymers as both donor and acceptor, have attracted growing attention due to their unique merits in optical, thermal and mechanical durability. Through the combined strategies in materials design and device engineering, recently the power conversion efficiencies of single‐junction all‐PSCs have been boosted up to 11 %. This review focuses on the recent progress of all‐PSCs comprising of wide band‐gap p‐type polymers, especially those based on the units of thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6(5H)‐dione], fluorinated benzotriazole, benzo[1,2‐c:4,5‐c′]dithiophene‐4,8‐dione, and pyrrolo[3,4‐f]benzotriazole‐5,7(6H)‐dione. Meantime, several categories of n‐type polymers used to match with these polymer donors are also reviewed. Finally, a brief summary of the strategies of molecular design and morphology optimization is given, and strategies toward further improving performance of all‐PSCs are outlined.     

Two methyl 3‐(1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)octahydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1‐carboxylates form different hydrogen‐bonded sheets

In the molecules of both methyl (1RS,3SR,3aRS,6aSR)‐1‐methyl‐3‐(3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐4,6‐dioxo‐5‐phenyloctahydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1‐carboxylate, C₂₅H₂₄N₄O₄, (I), and methyl (1RS,3SR,3aRS,6aSR)‐5‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐1‐methyl‐3‐(3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐4,6‐dioxooctahydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1‐carboxylate, C₂₅H₂₃ClN₄O₄, (II), the two rings of the pyrrolopyrrole fragment are both nonplanar, with conformations close to half‐chair forms. The overall conformations of the molecules of (I) and (II) are very similar, apart from the orientation of the ester function. The molecules of (I) are linked into sheets by a combination of an N—H...π(pyrrole) hydrogen bond and three independent C—H...O hydrogen bonds. The molecules of (II) are also linked into sheets, which are generated by a combination of an N—H...N hydrogen bond and two independent C—H...O hydrogen bonds, weakly augmented by a C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bond.     

Thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione‐Based Small Molecules for Highly Efficient Solution‐Processed Organic Solar Cells

Two small molecules named BT‐TPD and TBDT‐TTPD with a thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione (TPD) unit were designed and synthesized for solution‐processed bulk‐heterojunction solar cells. Their thermal, electrochemical, optical, charge‐transport, and photovoltaic characteristics were investigated. These compounds exhibit strong absorption at 460–560 nm and low highest occupied molecular orbital levels (?5.36 eV). Field‐effect hole mobilities of these compounds are 1.7–7.7×10^?3 cm² V^?1 s^?1. Small‐molecule organic solar cells based on blends of these donor molecules and a acceptor display power conversion efficiencies as high as 4.62 % under the illumination of AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm^?2.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic performance of donor–acceptor polymers containing benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene with thienyl substituents

Three alternating donor–acceptor copolymers have been synthesized by Stille coupling polymerization of 2,6‐(trimethyltin)?4,8‐bis(5‐dodecylthiophene‐2‐yl)benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene with 1,3‐dibromo‐5‐hexylthieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione, 4,7‐dibromo‐1,3‐benzothiadiazole, and 5,7‐dibromo‐2,3‐didodecylthieno[3,4‐b]pyrazine, respectively. The synthesized polymers were tested in bulk heterojunction solar cells as blends with the acceptor [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The thienopyrroledione copolymer displayed a power conversion efficiency of 3.00% which was increased to 3.86% by application of the additive 1,8‐diiodooctane (DIO). Tapping mode atomic force microscopy analysis indicated that there was an increase in the phase separation between polymer and PCBM, leading to an improvement in the performance upon the addition of DIO. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2622–2630     

Donor–acceptor photovoltaic polymers based on 1,4‐dithienyl‐2,5‐dialkoxybenzene with intramolecular noncovalent interactions

Donor–acceptor (D–A) conjugated polymers bearing non‐covalent configurationally locked backbones have a high potential to be good photovoltaic materials. Since 1,4‐dithienyl‐2,5‐dialkoxybenzene ( TBT ) is a typical moiety possessing intramolecular S…O interactions and thus a restricted planar configuration, it was used in this work as an electron‐donating unit to combine with the following electron‐accepting units: 3‐fluorothieno[3,4‐b]thiophene ( TFT ), thieno‐[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione ( TPD ), and diketopyrrolopyrrole ( DPP ) for the construction of such D–A conjugated polymers. Therefore, the so‐designed three polymers, PTBTTFT , PTBTTPD , and PTBTDPP , were synthesized and investigated on their basic optoelectronic properties in detail. Moreover, using [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₇₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM) as acceptor material, polymer solar cells (PSCs) were fabricated for studying photovoltaic performances of these polymers. It was found that the optimized PTBTTPD cell gave the best performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.49%, while that of PTBTTFT displayed the poorest one (PCE = 1.96%). The good photovoltaic behaviors of PTBTTPD come from its lowest‐lying energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) among the three polymers, and good hole mobility and favorable morphology for its PC₇₁BM‐blended film. Although PTBTDPP displayed the widest absorption spectrum, the largest hole mobility, and regular chain packing structure when blended with PC₇₁BM, its unmatched HOMO energy level and disfavored blend film morphology finally limited its solar cell performance to a moderate level (PCE: 3.91%). © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 689–698     

Anthracene‐thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione based donor–acceptor conjugated copolymers for applications in optoelectronic devices

Three novel alternating copolymers of thieno[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione (TPD) and triisopropylsilylacetylene‐functionalized anthracene were prepared via Suzuki polymerization. Various solubilizing substituents were attached to the TPD moiety in order to ascertain the impact they have upon the optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties of the resulting polymers. All copolymers showed good solubility and thermal stability with decomposition temperatures in excess of 300°C. Optical properties revealed that PTATPD(O), PTATPD(DMO), and PTATPD(BP) displayed optical energy gaps in excess of 2.0 eV. It is speculated that steric repulsion between solubilizing groups on repeat units along polymer chains reduces their planarity and decreases their electronic conjugation. The amorphous nature of the polymers was confirmed with differential scanning calorimetry and powder X‐ray diffraction. The highest occupied molecular orbital levels of the three polymers are unaffected by the different solubilizing chains. However, they exert some influence over the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels with PTATPD(BP) and PTATPD(O) displaying the lowest LUMO levels (?3.4 eV). In contrast, PTATPD(DMO) displayed the highest LUMO level (?3.3 eV). © 2015 The Authors. Polymers for Advanced Technologies Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Synthesis and reactivity of 6‐methyl‐4H‐furo[3,2c]pyran‐3,4‐dione

An efficient synthesis of 3‐bromoacetyl‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one by bromination of dehydroacetic acid in glacial acetic acid is described. Novel 4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐3‐(2‐substituted‐thiazol‐4‐yl)‐2H‐pyran‐2‐ones have been prepared from the reaction of 3‐bromoacetyl‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one with thioamides, thiourea, and diphenylthiocarbazone. The condensation reaction of 6‐methyl‐4H‐furo[3,2c]pyran‐3,4‐dione, obtained from the reaction of 3‐bromoacetyl‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one with aliphatic amines, with benzaldehydes and acetophenones led to novel 2‐arylidene‐6‐methyl‐2H‐furo[3,2‐c]pyran‐3,4‐diones and 6‐(2‐arylprop‐1‐enyl)‐2H‐furo[3,2‐c]pyran‐3,4‐diones. The structure of all compounds was established by elemental analysis, IR, NMR, and mass spectra. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 2011.