Poly(3′,4′-[bis(N,N′-ethyloxamyl)]terthiophene): A new functionalized conductive polymer with tunable pendent ethyloxamyl substituents

Abstract

The electrosynthesis and the properties of a new functionalized polythiophene poly(3′,4′-[bis(N,N′-ethyloxamyl)]terthiophene) possessing a complexing cavity grafted onto one in three thiophene units are studied. The polymer has been characterized by means of several spectroscopic techniques (IR, Raman, XPS). It exhibits the usual behavior of the polythiophene class of material. Furthermore, it can be chemically modified, replacement of ester by amide groups in the solid state being evidenced by XPS and IR spectroscopy. The influence of the switching reaction of the polythiophene backbone upon the microscopic properties of the pendent ethyloxamyl groups is studied. IR spectroscopy and molecular modeling indicate that the π-electron density and the size of the complexing active center depend on the applied potential.