Abstract

A new route to oligothiophene–PEO-block-co-polymers has been developed, in which well-defined α-oligothiophene blocks (from bithiophene to sexithiophene) alternate with poly(ethylene oxide) blocks. These materials show high solubility in common organic solvents. UV/visible and fluorescence studies in solution indicate that the oligothiophene segments are molecularly dissolved in good solvents like chloroform. Aggregation of the oligothiophenes occurs in dioxane–water mixtures, which is manifest by shifts of the UV/visible absorption maxima towards the blue and quenching of the fluorescence. An oligothiophene length of three thiophenes (terthiophene) is necessary to observe this aggregation phenomenon.