Thiophene amination routes to nitrogen-functionalized conjugated polymers: Polyaminothiophenes and polydithienopyrroles

ORGN 202

Seth C. Rasmussen, Katsu Ogawa, Jenny A. Stafford, Scott D. Rothstein, and Dennis E. Tallman. Department of Chemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
Polythiophenes are highly versatile conjugated polymers due to their stability and ease of synthetic modification. The majority of functionalized polythiophenes, however, isolate the functional group from the backbone by an alkyl spacer. Thus, the electronic effect is minimal and the side chain acts primarily to modify physical properties. The main exception to this is alkoxy and alkylmercapto groups, where the heteroatom is directly on the backbone. Polyalkoxythiophenes retain the solubility of polyalkylthiophenes, but exhibit increased conjugation due to a reduction of steric interactions and the alkoxy group's electronic contribution.

An extension of polyalkoxythiophenes is the investigation of additional heteroatom functionalized polythiophenes. Our work has generated an interest in nitrogen-derivatized polythiophenes, thus initiating new synthetic routes to N-functionalized poly(3-aminothiophene)s and poly(dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole)s. Here we report synthetic routes for the necessary monomeric precursors, as well as chemical and electrochemical polymerization studies. Electronic and optical characteristics of the polymers will also be discussed.

 

Functional pi-Electronic Systems
8:30 AM-12:00 PM, Monday, March 24, 2003 Convention Center -- Room 353-355, Oral

Division of Organic Chemistry
The 225th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 23-27, 2003