The conjugated oligomer ETE-S is enzymatically polymerized in vitro, in the presence of peroxidase and H2O2. This polymerization route occurs also in the plant cell wall where ETE-S polymerizes and forms conductors along the plant structure.
Conjugated oligomers polymerize in vivo on the root system of intact plants forming an extended network of tissue integrated conductors while the plants continue to grow and develop. The conducting roots are used to store energy in the plant.
Electronic materials that can self-organize in vivo and form functional components along the tissue of interest can result in a seamless integration of the bioelectronic interface. Previously, we presented in vivo polymerization of the conjugated oligomer ETE-S in plants, forming conductors along the plant structure. The EDOT−thiophene−EDOT trimer with a sulfonate side group polymerized due to the native enzymatic activity of the plant and integrated within the plant cell wall. Here, we present the synthesis of three different conjugated trimers based on thiophene and EDOT or purely EDOT trimers that are able to polymerize enzymatically in physiological pH in vitro as well as in vivo along the roots of living plants. We show that by modulating the backbone and the side chain, we can tune the electronic properties of the resulting polymers as well as their localization and penetration within the root. Our work paves the way for the rational design of electronic materials that can self-organize in vivo for spatially controlled electronic functionalization of living tissue.
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