Synthesis and characterization of novel low band gap polymers: Poly(heteroarylene methines)

A series of novel poly(heteroarylene methines) containing alternating aromatic and quinoid phenylene-thiophene moieties in the main chain were synthesized. They were readily soluble in common organic solvents, and revealed tunable band gaps. Several low band gap polymers were obtained when octoxy or decoxy groups were applied as pendent groups of phenylene unit. And relevant octoxy-substituted poly(heteroarylene methins), PDTDOBQ-Me, PDTDOBQ-ORBr and PDTDOBQ-NO2, showed electrochemical band gaps of 1.60, 1.68 and 1.76 eV, respectively.