Conductive Polymers via Reactive Aligomer.
Abstract
This report summarizes the efforts that have been made towards synthesizing a processible conducting polymer. Low molecular weight flexible chain telechelic polymers, such as sebacyl chloride or PEG, are endcapped, via acylation and esterification, with a-terthiophene groups. Although the synthesis of these prepolymers is simple and straight-forward; high yield and purity, and which is essential for their polymerization, have not yet been attained. Although polymerization can presumably be carried out through many of the oxidative coupling routes that are available, either through chemical or electrochemical means, it is felt that the lack of synthetic control of these reactions could obscure the structure of the product. By brominating the prepolymer at the terminal 2-thienyl positions, the mono-Grignard reagent can be prepared and polymerized with a Ni(ll) catalyst similar to Yamamoto's technique. This polymerization route offers a higher degree of control due to the exact placement of the coupling links. Furthermore, if the thiophene hexamers in the alternating block copolymer are not of sufficient conjugation length for high conductivity, the Grignard-coupling technique allows for additional terthiophene units to be incorporated into the thienyl blocks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA184270
Entities
People
- G. E. Wnek
- S. C. Arnold
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology