The synthesis of polymer precursors for dithieno[3,2-b:2',3' d]pyrrole-based poly(arylenevinylene) materials

ORGN 591

Sean J. Evenson, sean.evenson@ndsu.edu, Adam R. Wohl, adam.wohl@ndsu.edu, and Seth C. Rasmussen, seth.rasmussen@ndsu.edu. Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
Polythiophenes are a class of conjugated polymers having good environmental stability and due to their ease of synthetic modification, are thought to be one of the most versatile of this class of polymers. Recently a new class of such modified polythiophene materials utilizing fused-ring dithieno[3,2-b:2',3' d]pyrroles (DTPs) have been shown to exhibit improved electronic and optical properties in comparison to the parent polymer. The addition of ethylene units to the polymer backbone has been shown to be a successful approach to the lowering of the polymer band gap and thus efforts to combine this approach with our previous application of the fused-ring DTPs is a current goal. In order to accomplish the production of such materials, DTP-based diarylethylene oligomers and methylenesulfoxide capped DTPs are being investigated as potential polymer precursors. The synthesis and characterization of these precursors will be presented along with initial polymerization studies.