Reactive regioregular oligothiophenes and polythiophenes with Zincke salt structure: Synthesis,reactions, and chemical properties

Polythiophenes with reactive Zincke salt structure, P4ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a and P5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a , were synthesized by the oxidation polymerization of oligothiophenes, such as 3'‐(4‐N‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)pyridinium chloride)?2,2':5',2'';5'',2'''‐quarterthiophene ( 4ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?) ) and 4''‐(4‐N‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)pyridinium chloride)?2,2';5',2'';5'',2''';5''',2''''‐quinquethiophene ( 5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?) ), with iron(III) chloride. The reaction of P5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a with R‐NH₂ [R = n‐hexyl (Hex) and phenyl (Ph)] substituted the 2,4‐dinitrophenyl group into the R group with the elimination of 2,4‐dinitroaniline to yield P5ThPy⁺R(Cl^?) . Similarly, model compounds, 4ThPy⁺R(Cl^?) and 5ThPy⁺R(Cl^?) (R = Hex and Ph), were also synthesized. In contrast to the photoluminescent 4ThPy and 5ThPy , the compounds P4ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a , P5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a , and P5ThPy⁺R(Cl^?) showed no photoluminescence because their internal pyridinium rings acted as quenchers. Cyclic voltammetry measurements suggested that P4ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a , P5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a , and P5ThPy⁺R(Cl^?) received an electrochemical reduction of the pyridinium and 2,4‐dinitrophenyl groups and oxidation of the polymer backbone. P4ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a and P5ThPy⁺DNP(Cl^?)‐a were electrically conductive (ρ = 3.0 × 10 ^{? 6} S cm ^{? 1} and 2.1 × 10 ^{? 6} S cm ^{? 1}, respectively) in the nondoped state. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 481–492