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Well-defined poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) and poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PBA) are prepared via photochemically induced atom transfer radical polymerization (photoATRP) using ppm amounts of CuBr2/tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me6TREN) catalyst complex without degassing of the polymerization mixture. The effect of light intensity and partial replacement of the excess of expensive Me6TREN ligand with cheaper tertiary amines on kinetics of the polymerization was investigated in various solvents. The addition of triethylamine to photoATRP system resulted in both significant shortening the induction period and increasing the polymerization rate. High livingness of the oxygen tolerant photoATRP system containing triethylamine was proved by chain-extension polymerizations resulting in formation of PMA-b-PBA copolymer. The presented photoATRP system can have tremendous importance from an industrial point of view since the well-defined polyacrylates can be prepared almost without any induction period and in short polymerization time without necessity of both air removal and using the excess of expensive ligand.

Series of alternating conjugated copolymers of thiophene-based monomers substituted with bulky and electron withdrawing 1,2,3-triazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole pendant groups was synthesized and characterized. Either a Suzuki coupling approach with 1,4-phenylene, 2,5-bis(octyloxy)-1,4-phenylene and 9,9-Dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl boronates or the Stille reaction with 2,5-thiophenediyl stannane was used for polymer synthesis. The choice of the arylene or thiophene comonomers gives the opportunity to tune solubility, molecular weight and final optical/electrochemical properties of prepared polymers. We achieved improvements of the energetic levels (HOMO, LUMO and band gap). Moreover experiments comparing not only effects of polymer covalent structure but also evaluating the effect of molecular weight distribution on the optical properties using the SEC apparatus equipped by Diode Array Detector (SEC-DAD) and Fluorescence (FLD) detectors were performed.

Homopolymerizations of 2,5-diethynylthiophene into conjugated microporous polymers by (i) chain-growth polymerization and (ii) polycyclotrimerization are described. Both methods provide nearly quantitative yields of thiophene-rich (7.6 mmol thiophene rings/g) networks with specific surface area up to 839 m2/g. The thiophene units enhance the affinity of the networks to CO2 and red-shift the UV/vis and fluorescence absorption and emission bands of the networks, respectively.

A series of novel metallo-supramolecular polymers was successfully prepared, based on 2,6-bis(2-oxazolinyl)pyridine building blocks consisting of pyridine flanked by two oxazoline rings as a tridentate binding site bridged with thiophene, bithiophene and thienothiophene as a linker, beginning from a cheap and commercially available 1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic (chelidamic) acid. Metallo-supramolecular polymers were obtained and spectroscopically characterized upon treatment of the synthesized building blocks, also known as unimers, with the following metal ions: Fe2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+. During the self-assembly process of the prepared unimers with a Cu2+ ion coupler, UV/vis investigation showed the highest shift of absorption maxima to lower energies, contrary to the Fe2+ ion couplers where the lowest value of shift was detected, compared to the free unimer. Upon the complexation of the Fe2+ ion coupler with selected unimers, the appearance was observed of new absorption bands around 600 nm ascribable to metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions. The luminescence study of the complexation of the synthesized unimers with Zn2+ exhibited a high fluorescence increase with an increase of metal ion concentration. Adversely, all of the other metals only showed fluorescence quenching.

The synthesis and photophysical properties of poly{3-[6-(triethylphosphonium)hexyl]-thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide} and poly{3-[6-(triphenylphosphonium)hexyl]-thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide} are reported in the present contribution. Three various polymer precursors (poly[3-(6-bromohexyl)thiophene-2,5-diyl]s) with molecular weights 7.2, 11.8 and 13.2 kg mol−1 respectively and head to tail regioregularity from 62% to 94% were prepared and consecutively transformed into the corresponding polyelectrolytes by a simple quaternization reaction with appropriate phosphines. Synthesized polyelectrolytes exhibited solvatochromism. Detailed aggregation experiments via changing water/DMSO ratio have been performed. Photoluminiscence spectra of the polyelectrolyte solutions indicate that the emission maxima are red-shifted gradually with the increasing solvent polarity. Fluorescence quenching has been studied by interaction with model quenchers: K4[Fe(CN)6] and K3[Fe(CN)6] in water using Stern-Volmer methodology.

In the article we present a unique analytical tool for the characterization of conjugated polymers – SEC-DAD (Size Exclusion Chromatography – Diode Array Detector). The chromatographic separation is performed in a conventional SEC mode which provides narrow molecular-weight fractions of the analyzed polymer. The uniqueness of the SEC-DAD combination comes out with the utilization of DAD for the monitoring the absorption characteristics of particular fractions along the molecular weight distribution. If applied in the characterization of the conjugated polymers, SEC-DAD helps to reveal the dependencies of (i) the extent of conjugation and (ii) covalent and configuration structure of the polymer on the molecular weight.

The aggregation kinetics of negatively charged borate-stabilized silver nanoparticles (NPs) induced by the cationic regioregular polythiophene polyelectrolyte poly{3-[6-(1-methylimidazolium-3-yl)hexyl]thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide} (PMHT-Br) and the morphology of formed aggregates have been investigated via ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta (ζ) potential measurements, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Two or three populations of NPs are formed within milliseconds upon mixing the components, which differ in the mean size, extent of polymer coating, and time stability. These characteristics are primarily controlled by the PMHT-Br to Ag-NPs ratio. Population of single NPs of a mean size of ∼5 nm is present in every system and is mostly stable for a long time. At low ratios, the single NPs are most probably almost free of polymer chains and the second population includes slow, but in a limited extent, growing NPs in which single NPs might be interconnected by polymer chains. At the ratios corresponding to the charge balance in the system (ca. zero ζ-potential of NPs), the NPs aggregate, forming a second population that continuously grows in size, and finally undergo sedimentation. At the high ratios, three long-time stable populations of NPs are observed, having mean sizes of ca. 5, 13, and 35 nm; all NPs should be fully coated with PMHT-Br, giving them a positively charged stabilizing shell.

A novel copolymer poly(thiophene-2,5-diyl-2,5-di-n-octyloxycarbonyl-1,4-phenylene), denoted as P33, is introduced as potential material for photovoltaics, polymer light-emitting diodes, and/or organic transistors. P33 dissolved in chloroform is investigated by steady-state absorption, linear/non-linear fluorescence spectroscopies and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Molar extinction coefficient, fluorescence quantum yield, and singlet fluorescence lifetime of P33 are determined to be 18,315 M−1 cm−1, 0.4, and 810 ps, respectively. The P33 fluorescence fast components of decay times are 1.2 ps, 2.0 ps, and 0.5 ps for increasing wavelengths of 480 nm, 500 nm, and 520 nm, respectively. The fast component is attributed to a transport of nearly instantaneously formed excitons to localized states known as downhill energy transfer. Additionally multi-photon excited fluorescence is observed for pumping with wavelengths of 800 nm and 1200 nm. Two-photon absorption cross-section is determined to be 6.9 GM. These spectroscopic studies provide basic fluorescence characteristics of the novel thiophene copolymer P33.

We report the synthesis of conjugated highly cross-linked polyacetylene-type networks with a high content of functional groups (–CH2OH, –NO2, –Ph2N, content up to 3.9 mmol/g) via a chain-growth copolymerization of either 1,4-diethynylbenzene or 4,4′-diethynylbiphenyl with functionalized mono- and diethynylbenzenes. The backbone of the networks consists of substituted polyene main chains that are cross-linked by arylene links. The optimized combinations of comonomers in the feed provide functionalized networks with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area up to 667 m2/g and enhanced affinity for CO2 adsorption (compared to the non-functionalized hydrocarbon networks of the same type). The dependence of the specific surface area of the networks on the size and architecture of the comonomers used for the synthesis is discussed in the paper. The reported networks can be classified into the group of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs). Contrary to the CMPs synthesized by step-growth couplings, significantly lower average comonomer functionality in the feed (f = 1.5–2.0) is sufficient for the high specific surface area to be achieved in the reported polyacetylene-type CMPs.

Conjugated polyelectrolyte with polythiophene main chain and imidazolium side groups, poly{3-[6-(1-methylimidazolium-3-yl) hexyl]thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide}, is investigated. Polymer architecture with hydrophobic main chain and hydrophilic side groups is responsible for the inconvenient behavior of the polymer in solution. Absorption and emission characteristics and supramolecular assembling are investigated by spectroscopic, microscopic and light-scattering methods. We report significant solvatochromism which is observable by a naked eye. Water solutions and mixed solvent systems exhibit most interesting features: supramolecular assembling was investigated by DLS, AFM and TEM techniques and common spectroscopic methods such as UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Moreover, slow relaxation processes take part in water as it is evidenced by time evolution of absorption spectra. It is a result of vanishing of inter- and intramolecular interactions. These interactions are responsible for extraordinary solution behavior of the ionic polythiophene.

The long-term stability of poly{[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene]vinylene} (MEH-PPV) in solutions exposed to air at daylight and in the dark at room temperature has been studied using the size exclusion chromatography (SEC), UV/vis, fluorescence and IR spectra of aged samples, and comparison of UV/vis spectra of SEC fractions. Solvents currently used in the preparation, analysis and processing of MEH-PPV were used: tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform (CHCl3) and chlorobenzene (PhCl). The SEC-DAD data revealed a serious decrease in the delocalization of electrons in MEH-PPV chains, even in the large ones, which proves a deep damage to the structure of the chains prior to their cleavage. The IR spectra of aged samples show that the saturation of main-chain double bonds and the changes in the substitution of phenylene rings are the main chemical structure defects present in chains of aged MEH-PPV. The rate as well as the extent of the overall degradation process is ca ten to fifty times enhanced by the ordinary daylight. The rate of cleavage and the damage to the structure of MEH-PPV molecules are significantly influenced by the choice of the solvent; they increase in the order: PhCl < CHCl3 < THF. PhCl can be recommended as one of the best solvents for MEH-PPV processing from solutions.

Aqueous solutions of poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid) neutralized with LiOH, NaOH, and CsOH were for the first time investigated using conductivity measurements (in concentrations, c, ranging from 2·10− 5 to 8·10− 2 mol/dm3 and temperatures from 278.15 to 313.15 K), transport number measurements (at 298.15 K) and osmotic coefficient measurements using vapor pressure osmometry (at 313.15 K) and cryoscopy, in order to identify essential electrochemical characteristics of this conjugated polyelectrolyte. The measurements of the polyion constituent transport number data suggested that a fraction of counterions traveled associated with polyions. The fraction of “free” counterions, determined from the transport measurements by the association theory of Huizenga, Grieger, and Wall was around 0.5, which is in good agreement with the osmotic coefficient data. Neither the fraction of “free” counterions, nor the osmotic coefficient significantly depends on the nature of the counterion species. The results obtained were analyzed in terms of the Poisson–Boltzmann theory, Manning's condensation approach, and modern scaling theory. Good agreement between the theoretical results and the fraction of “free” counterions, determined from the combination of the transport number and conductivity measurements, was obtained. The osmotic coefficients were well reproduced by the Poisson–Boltzmann cell model theory.

Series of high-cis and cis/trans poly[(fluorophenyl)acetylene]s (PFPhA) have been prepared by polymerization of (2-fluorophenyl)acetylene, (3-fluorophenyl)acetylene, and (4-fluorophenyl)acetylene with catalysts: [Rh(1,5-cyclooctadiene) OCH3]2 (high-cis PFPhAs) and tungsten(VI) oxychloride/tetraphenyltin (cis/trans PFPhAs). The molecular weight and configurational stability under various conditions at room temperature were studied for both PFPhAs series by means of size exclusion chromatography, 1H-NMR, and UV-vis techniques. All samples exhibited slow degradation when exposed to the atmosphere in the solid state; the rate of degradation was independent on the F-position on the Ph ring. The rate of degradation increased up to three orders of magnitude in the tetrahydrofuran solution where it was higher for high-cis polymers compared with their cis/trans counterparts. The degradation of high-cis PFPhAs was accompanied by significant cis-to-trans isomerization in aerated tetrahydrofuran solution. Rate of degradation and isomerization exhibited the same dependence on the F-position on the Ph ring. The hypothesis was postulated that the degradation of high-cis PFPhAs in solution was accelerated by cis-to-trans isomerization due to which the content of unpaired electrons on the main chains is enhanced. In both high-cis and cis/trans series of polymers the ortho-substituted isomers exhibited an enhanced stability compared with meta- and para-substituted isomers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 4296–4309, 2010

A series of fluorene-based copolymers containing hole blocking/electron transporting diphenyloxadiazole units were synthesized by means of Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of selected aromatic dibromo- and diboronato- derivatives catalyzed with a Pd(PPh3)4 catalyst. All of the copolymers with various composition of main-chain units were characterized by SEC chromatography, NMR, UV–vis, fluorescence and IR spectroscopy, and DSC. The emission stability of fluorene copolymers was improved by the replacement of alkyl groups on the C-9 carbon of fluorene with aryl groups or by the incorporation of anthracene units into the copolymer main chain. A comparison of luminescence properties of pristine and annealed thin layers of studied copolymers was performed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4532–4546, 2009

Morphology, spectroscopic properties and molecular structure defects are characterized and compared for two types of poly{[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene]vinylene} (MEH-PPV) – Au nanoparticles (NPs) nanocomposites prepared by different procedures known for nanocomposites with other polymers: (a) nanocomposites M , prepared by mixing a dichloromethane (DCM) solution of MEH-PPV with Au nanoparticle organosol in DCM, and (b) nanocomposites R , prepared by the in situ interfacial reduction of Au 3+ salt with NaBH 4 in the presence of polymer. In nanocomposite M the molecular weight (MW) distribution as well as molecular structure of parent MEH-PPV remains practically intact and the polymer forms a matrix in which, at higher polymer concentrations, Au NPs are almost uniformly distributed and preserve the particle-size distribution found for the parent sol. The aggregation of Au NPs is observed as the polymer concentration in the nanocomposite M is decreased. For nanocomposites R : (i) a broad particle-size distribution and formation of Au aggregates, (ii) a slight decrease in molecular weight of MEH-PPV with respect to the parent polymer, and (iii) a decrease in the extent of conjugation of MEH-PPV chains fairly exceeding that observed for MEH-PPV chains degraded to the same MW values in air at ambient light were observed. These features of nanocomposites R are shown to be a consequence of side reactions of MEH-PPV with H[AuCl 4 ]/TOAB complex in the reaction mixture prior to the addition of the reducing agent. Unlike the case of nanocomposites M , the higher the polymer concentration, the larger is the mean size of Au NPs that tend to form larger aggregates in nanocomposites R .

Dinuclear rhodium(I) η2:η2-cycloocta-1,5-diene (series a) and η2:η2-norborna-2,5-diene (series b) complexes with μ-RCOO- ligands, where R is linear C21H43 (complexes 1a, 1b), CH2CMe3 (2a, 2b), 1-adamantyl (3a, 3b) and benzyl (4a, 4b), have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods. Structures of complexes 2b, 3a and 4a were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Complexes prepared show low to moderate catalytic activity in polymerization of phenylacetylene in THF giving high-cis-transoid polymers, but they show only oligomerization activity in dichloromethane.

The enthalpies of dilution ΔHdil of aqueous solutions of a conjugated polyelectrolyte, poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid), neutralized by lithium, sodium, cesium, tetramethyl-, tetraethyl-, tetrapropyl-, and tetrabutylammonium hydroxides, were determined in the concentration range from cp = 2 × 10−3 to 1 × 10−1 monomol dm−3 and for T = 278.15, 298.15, and 318.15 K. At low concentrations the dilution of the alkali PTAA salts yields an endothermic effect, which is in part a consequence of the hydrolysis. An exception is PTALi at 278.15 K, where ΔHdil < 0. In the case of tetraalkylammonium salts the enthalpies of dilution increase in the order TBA < TPA < TEA < TMA. Only the TBA salt of PTAA yields an exothermic effect upon dilution in the whole temperature range. In the second part of the study we measured the enthalpies of mixing, ΔHmix, of various salts of poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid) with LiCl, NaCl, KCl, and CsCl solutions in water. When lithium salt of PTAA is mixed with LiCl ΔHmix is positive. For mixing experiments with other alkali chlorides the effect is exothermic. In addition, the enthalpies of mixing of PTALi with tetramethyl-, tetraethyl-, tetrapropyl-, and tetrabutylammonium chloride were measured at T = 278.15 K, 298.15 K, and 318.15 K. Popular polyelectrolyte theories, such as Manning's limiting law, predict for the heat to be released upon dilution, and consumed upon mixing; the agreement between this purely electrostatic theory and experiments is at best qualitative. The ΔHmix values are correlated with the enthalpies of hydration of the cations of the low molecular mass salts added to the solution.

The title polymer, PTAA, practically free of ester groups was obtained by oxidative polymerization of methyl thiophen-3-ylacetate and subsequent basic hydrolysis of primary polymer. Poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid) has been thoroughly characterized by NMR, IR, Raman, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The polyacid behavior during neutralization titrations with lithium and sodium hydroxides, carried out under nitrogen atmosphere, has been studied by conductometry and potentiometry. Henderson-Hasselbach plots of potentiometric titration curves show a break point at pH around 6, where the curve slope drops from 1.8 (at lower pH) to a value from 1.05 to 1.3 (at higher pH values). The UV/Vis spectra monitored during back titration show: (i) monotonous decrease of both λmax and εmax as pH decreases, (ii) the presence of the isosbestic point at 401 nm that can be ascribed to conformational transition of PTAA chains, and (iii) absence of the isosbestic point at 392 nm reported previously by other authors.

UV/Vis spectroscopic investigation of aqueous solutions of regio-irregular poly(thiophen-3-ylacetic acid) (PTAA) with and without methyl-ester groups in the presence of sodium and lithium ions as counterions is presented. The samples were carefully purified and characterized with respect to molar mass and the amount of -COOH groups present. We examined how the UV/Vis spectra of solution change with aging of PTAA solution, polymer concentration, addition of low molecular weight salt, temperature, and some other parameters. We show that results crucially depend on whether the spectra are taken for freshly prepared or mature solutions. We demonstrate the validity of the Beer-Lambert law for PTANa, PTAA/Na, and PTAA/Li (aged solution), and violation of this law for PTANa/Me (fresh) solutions in water; the latter system is instead found to exhibit an isosbetic point at 402 nm. We prove that UV/Vis spectra of polythiophene derivatives in water depend on the "age" (time after dissolution) of the solution. The inconsistencies among the spectroscopic data found in literature, as also the discrepancies with our own measurements on PTAA-based systems are discussed.

International audience; Aggregated systems of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles coated with cationic polythiophene were prepared, which showed optical properties typical for strongly coupled plasmonic excitations. The procedure allowed tune up the three-dimensional arrangement of nanoparticles assembly for achieving strong SERS effect at the excitation wavelength depending on the polymer concentration. By combination with an anionic derivative of polythiophene thin multilayer films composed of alternating anionic and cationic polythiophene with mutually interacting plasmonic Au nanoparticles were successfully prepared using layer-by-layer deposition.

We report tuning of structure dependent optical properties of colloidal systems of borate-stabilized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and polythiophene-based cationic polyelectrolyte with ionic-liquid like side groups: poly{3-[6-(1-methylimidazolium-3-yl)hexyl]thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide} (PMHT-Br) towards obtaining local electromagnetic field enhancement effects. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies showed that the strong electromagnetic field enhancement is related to the formation of aggregates of Ag NPs achieved at the components ratio providing the charge balance between Ag NPs and cationic polythiophene, at which Ag NPs are nearly single-polymer-layer coated, their zeta potential is close to zero and they easily form aggregates in which the mean inter-particle distance enables the occurrence of desired plasmonic effects. Fluorescence quenching is efficient only in the systems with low concentrations of PMHT-Br, in which almost all polymer chains directly interact with the Ag NPs surface.

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