Facile polymerization method for poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and related polymers using iodine vapour

Abstract

A novel iodine vapour promoted polymerization method of 2,5-dibromo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, and 2,5-diiodo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and their derivatives at room temperature without using any solvent has been developed. The resulting polymers are conducting and electroactive in nature. After dedoping, the neutral polymers were analyzed in terms of their elemental composition, and the soluble polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography analysis. A systematic study of the cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis absorption and spectroelectrochemistry of these polymers obtained by iodine vapour polymerization has been reported and they have been compared with previously reported solid state polymerization and electrochemically obtained polymers where applicable.