Design and Synthesis of a Low Band Gap Conjugated Macroinitiator:  Toward Rod−Coil Donor−Acceptor Block Copolymers

Abstract

A new strategy for the synthesis of a soluble and well-defined dioctylpoly(thienylenevinylene) (DO-PTV), a low band-gap semiconducting polymer, via Horner−Wadsworth−Emmons condensation is presented. The chain length of the DO-PTV can be tuned by varying the amount of end-capping agent employed. This polymer was characterized by 1H NMR, UV−vis absorbance spectroscopy, and GPC. Finally, the DO-PTV was transformed into macroinitiator for nitroxide mediated radical polymerization. A preliminary experiment of polymerization of a mixture of styrene and chloromethylstyrene with this macroinitiator led to a low band gap rod−coil conjugated block copolymer which is a precursor for a donor−acceptor self-organized material.

Single Material Solar Cells: the Next Frontier for Organic Photovoltaics?

“…These low effi ciencies were attributed to the low yield of formation of the long-lived charge carriers in the fi lms. [ 51 ] Martin and co-workers have extensively investigated the synthesis of a large variety of molecular architectures combining C 60 and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). [ 52 ] Unlike many other electron donors, TTF and it p -quononoid analogues undergoes aromatization upon oxidation thus leading to stabilized cation radicals.…”

Synthesis, Electrochemistry, Crystal Structures, and Optical Properties of Quinoline Derivatives with a 2,2′‐Bithiophene Motif

“…[16][17][18][19] Thus, there has been considerable interest in developing a diverse range of small quinoline derivatives with enhanced optoelectronic, electronic, and mechanical features for use as increasingly efficient and stable OLEDs. [5,6,8] In addition, the substitution in the quinoline ring allows the possibility of improving the expected electrochemical and photochemical properties.…”

A New Supramolecular Route for Using Rod‐Coil Block Copolymers in Photovoltaic Applications

“…[14][15][16][17][18][19] Block copolymers composed of an electron-donating and an electronaccepting block are therefore particularly interesting for PV applications and are presently studied worldwide by several research groups. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] Particularly, rod-coil block copolymers using poly[(2,5-di(2-ethyl)hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (DEH-PPV) as electron donor and various coil blocks (such as polystyrene or polybutylacrylate) with covalently linked fullerene moieties as electron acceptor have been investigated intensively. [23][24][25][26][27][28] Although these studies have given considerable insight into the physics of copolymer self-assembly, their efficient utilization as the active layer in PV devices has not yet been fully demonstrated.…”