Fullerene is used as a monomer in this simple method to prepare soluble, well-defined polymers. The sterically controlled azomethine ylide cycloaddition polymerization of fullerene (SACAP) yields macromolecules with molecular weights of around 25 000 g mol −1 . Importantly, cumbersome comonomers are employed to restrict crosslinking. Extensive characterizations, with the help of modeling studies, indicate that the polymers are regio-irregular with a majority of trans-3 isomers. Of particular interest is the exceptional ease of preparing polymers with zero metal content.

The first oligomerisation of phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) using a facile atom transfer radical addition polymerization (ATRAP) and its exploitation for organic photovoltaic devices is described.Oligo{(phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester)-alt-[1,4-bis(bromomethyl)-2,5-bis(octyloxy)benzene]} (OPCBMMB) shows opto-electronic properties equivalent to those of PCBM but has a higher glass transition temperature. When mixed with various band gap semiconducting polymers, OPCBMMB delivers performances similar to PCBM but with an enhanced stabilization of the bulk heterojunction in photovoltaic devices on plastic substrates under thermal stress, regardless of the degree of crystallinity of the polymer and without changing opto-electronic properties.