The Role of Electron‐Donating Subunits in Cross‐Linked BODIPY Polymer Films

Abstract

A new method for synthesizing cross‐linked BODIPYs using a radical‐based thiol‐ene click reaction has been developed. This method is simple, efficient, and cost‐effective, and it produces polymers with unique optical, electrochemical, and surface morphology properties. Significant blue shifts in absorption and photoinduced electron transfer in emissions were observed in the cross‐linked BODIPY thin films. Cross‐linking also led to the restriction of conjugation, which resulted in the breakage of the terminal vinyl group, an increase in the oxidation potential, and a slight upshift in the HOMO position. As a result, the electrochemical band gap was widened from 1.88 to 1.94 eV for polymer bearing N,N‐dimethylamino‐BODIPY and from 1.97 to 2.02 eV for polymer bearing N,N‐diphenylamino‐BODIPY moieties. Monomer thin films formed planar surfaces due to crystallinity, while amorphous cross‐linked BODIPY polymers formed more rough surfaces. Additionally, photopatterning on the film surface was successfully performed using different patterned masks. This new method for synthesizing cross‐linked BODIPYs has the potential to be used in a variety of applications, including organic electronics, bioimaging, and photocatalysis.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved