Chemical reactivity of poly(ethylenedioxy)thiophene (PEDOT)

ORGN 101

Michael B. Smith, michael.smith@uconn.edu1, Gregory A. Sotzing, sotzing@mail.ims.uconn.edu2, Amber Onorato, Amber.Onorato@huskymail.uconn.edu1, Arvind Kumar3, and Christopher McClusky1. (1) Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 N. Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, (2) Department of Chemistry and the Polymer Science Program, University of Connecticut, 97 N. Eagleville Rd (U-136), Storrs, CT 06269, (3) Department of Chemistry and the Polymer Program, University of Connecticut, 97 N. Eagleville Rd (U-136), Storrs, CT 06269-3136
The conducting polymer poly(ethylenedioxy)thiophene (PEDOT) is widely used in a variety of commercial applications. This polymer is widely believed to be chemically inert with respect to the presence of many chemicals. It is not. We have discovered that heating benzylic and allylic alcohols with the polymer, in refluxing hexane or heat, leads to homo-ether formation. Heating such alcohols with toluene in the presence of the polymer leads to Friedel-Crafts alkylation. In addition, we have discovered that sorbitol, an important additive to PEDOT that enhances conductivity, reacts with the polymer. These chemical reactions may be linked to a better understanding of the lifetime of polymer in commercial applications as well as understanding the function of additives that enhance conductivity. This paper will described the chemical reactions observed with PEDOT.
 

Materials, Devices, and Switches
1:00 PM-5:00 PM, Sunday, 10 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 132, Oral

Division of Organic Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006