| Abstract: | A substituted poly(phenylacetylene) derivative (PPAHB) with two hydroxymethyl groups at the meta position of the side phenyl ring was examined as a conformation‐switchable helical spring polymer that responds to solvent and heat stimuli in a precisely controlled manner. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which cause the helical structure of the polymer, were broken and re‐formed by adjusting the hydrogen‐bonding strength values (pKHB) of various combinations of solvents or by varying the temperature. In this process, a reversible conformational change from cis–cisoid to cis–transoid, accompanied by a phase transition in the form of a helix‐coil transformation occurred, with the polymer exhibiting critical changes of color fading and recovery in specific environments. These results demonstrate that PPAHB can be used as either a pKHB indicator or a thermometer. The color changes of the polymer solution are described in detail based on spectroscopic analyses and thermodynamic considerations. |
