Easy and versatile synthesis of new poly(thieno[3,4-d]thiazole)s

Abstract

New alternating copolymers based on thieno[3,4-d]thiazole (TTz) derivatives were synthesized by Stille, Suzuki or direct (hetero)arylation polycondensation (DHAP) reactions using either benzodithiophene (BDT), dithienosilole (DTS), thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD), diketopyrrolopyrrole-1,4-dione (DPP) or isoindigo units as comonomers. In particular, the direct hetero(arylation) polycondensation reaction has been shown to be a very interesting tool for a more efficient and economical access to new conjugated polymers. Modifications of the TTz moiety and of the polymer backbone show that it is possible to efficiently modulate the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of TTz-based copolymers. These conjugated polymers exhibit bandgaps between 1.07 and 1.82 eV with HOMO energy levels ranging from −5.06 to −5.48 eV and LUMO energy levels ranging from −3.61 to −4.02 eV.