Donor–Acceptor–Donor Copolymers with34-Ethylenedioxythiophene Moiety: Electropolymerization and Effecton Optoelectronic and Electrochromic Properties

摘要

Three random copolymers >PE->co>-M1, >PE->co>-M2, and >PE->co>-M3 were obtained by electrochemical polymerization of donor–acceptor–donor monomers >M1, >M2, and >M3 with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene moiety, respectively, using a 1:1 molar ratio of the corresponding monomers, to find new properties and a more effective way to control the optoelectronic properties in conjugated system. For comparison purpose, polymers >P1, >P2, and >P3 were prepared from the corresponding monomer units >M1–>M3, respectively, by electrochemical polymerization. We also present efficient synthesis, characterization, and comparative density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the monomers >M1–>M3 and polymers >P1–>P3. Cyclic voltammetry, spectroelectrochemistry, and electrochromic properties of all of the polymers >P1–>P3 and copolymers >PE->co>-M1, >PE->co>-M2, and >PE->co>-M3 were carried out and a throughout comparison was made. We have shown that electrochemical copolymerization is a powerful strategy to tune the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level, band gap, and color of the copolymer. Thus, this finding clearly indicates that the copolymers show significantly different optoelectronic properties compared to their constituent polymers.