The Synthesis and Characterization of Energy-Conducting Polymers with Pendant Inorganic Chromophores

摘要

We are interested in the synthesis,characterization,and performance evaluation of functional nanoscale materials comprised of a polymeric scaffold with appended cationic transition-metal lumiphores.We have developed a methodology to prepare,spectroscopically characterize,and evaluate a series of organic copolymers functionalized with inorganic chromophores.Preparation of these hybrid systems first involves the synthesis of a linear AB diblock copolymeric scaffold in which A is polystyrene(PS)and B is poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene)(PStBOC),using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain-Transfer(RAFT)radical polymerization.The PStBOC block(B)was converted into poly(4-hydroxystyrene)by acid hydrolysis of the t-BOC moieties,and Ru(II)trisbipyridyl complexes were covalently appended using standard ester coupling reagents.These lumiphores were selected due to their strong absorbance in the visible spectrum,chemical/photochemical stability,useful redox properties,and long-lived excited state lifetimes.Attachment of the cationic transition-metal chromophores to block B of these linear AB diblock copolymeric arrays is expected to promote solid-state self-assembly into nanoscale structures.The metal-loaded macromolecular assemblies were characterized spectroscopically and the determination of the solid-state morphology of films of these materials was investigated using Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM).