Toward one‐pot olefin/thiophene block copolymers using an in situ ligand exchange
Abstract
Block copolymers containing both conducting and insulating segments are of interest due to their enhanced electrical properties arising from their increased crystallization. Yet few methods exist for generating these copolymers, because the reaction conditions for synthesizing each block are often incompatible. Herein, efforts toward identifying a one‐pot, living polymerization method for synthesizing block copolymers of 1‐pentene and 3‐hexylthiophene is described. An in situ ligand exchange enables the optimal catalyst to be utilized for synthesizing each block. Even under these conditions, however, only homopolymers are observed. Computational studies modeling the ligand exchange reveal that the added stabilizing ligands likely inhibit propagation of the second block. These results suggest an ancillary ligand‐based “goldilocks” effect wherein catalysts that are stable yet still reactive are required. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1601–1605
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 27, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1002/pola.29426
Entities
People
- Amanda L Dewyer
- Amanda Leone
- Anne J. McNeil
- Paul M Zimmerman
- Tomohiro Kubo
Organizations
- Division of Chemistry
- Office of Naval Research Global
- University of Michigan