A Simple Route to Rod‐Coil Block Copolymers of Oligo‐ and Polythiophenes with PMMA and Polystyrene

Abstract

A simple and efficient approach for the preparation of rod‐coil block copolymers comprising oligo‐ and polythiophenes blocks together with PMMA or PS blocks is described. The block copolymers were prepared using a two‐step procedure. α,ω‐dicarboxy‐terminated oligothiophenes and carboxy terminated poly(3‐hexylthiophene) were first prepared. These were then reacted with P4S10 in a second step to generate the α,ω‐thioester terminated oligothiophenes and poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s which were subsequently used in a one‐pot reaction as RAFT polymerization agents with methylmethacrylate and styrene. The di‐ and tri‐block copolymers hence obtained were fully characterized, both in solution and as thin films. magnified image

Living Radical Polymerization by the RAFT Process – A Third Update

“…A [299] St [299] 60 polybenzamide macro-RAFT agent [299] St [299] 61 S S O OH * HA [240] (NIPAm) [300] (NIPAm-b-NAS) [300] St/DVB [301] 62 poly(3-hexylthiophene) macro-RAFT agent S C 6 H 13 n S S CN D [302] MMA [302] A References in this column (where given) are to the synthesis of the RAFT agent. The letter indicates (A-N) the method(s) used (see section on Synthesis of RAFT Agents below).…”

RAFT Polymerization and Some of its Applications

“…In using RAFT to design block copolymers, it is important that block linkage is 1) short and 2) does not contain potentially hydrolyzable groups (such as ester or amide units), and that 3) the RAFT functionality is not part of the linkage 23b. 25 Transformation of a vinyl compound to a macro‐RAFT agent by RAFT single unit monomer insertion26 provides a route to such ′R′‐connected block copolymers.…”

Precise Synthesis of Functional Block Copolymers by Living Anionic Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers Bearing Nitrogen Atoms in the Side Chain

“…Polymers with carbazole and pyridine, as well as with fullerene derivatives, showed excellent hole and electron transporting properties. Living polymerizations leading to polymers containing these blocks have been carried out and their electronic properties have been extensively studied …”

“…Living polymerizations leading to polymers containing these blocks have been carried out and their electronic properties have been extensively studied. [70] Hahm and co-workers demonstrated that new types of fullerene endcapped PCzMAs as ambipolar structures were synthesized via living anionic polymerization with the DPM-K initiator. [39c] This method exhibited a more efficient synthesis of PCzMA with a fullerene content greater than 20 wt% compared to existing techniques such as blending and synthetic routes, [71] which have limitations due to low fullerene loading of <10 wt%.…”