Alternate and random (co)polymers composed of anthracene and chloromethylstyrene units through controlled radical ring-opening polymerization: Synthesis, post-functionalization, and optical properties

A cyclic monomer containing the chloromethyl unit 10-methylene-9,10-dihydroanthryl-9-spiro(4′-chloromethylphenyl)cyclopropane (MDCMS) was polymerized using a controlled radical ring-opening polymerization via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process to afford a nonconjugated alternate polymer composed of anthracene and chloromethylstyrene (CMS) units. Well-defined random copolymers were obtained through the ring-opening RAFT copolymerization. Various functional groups were incorporated into the alternate polymer. The alternate polymer containing imidazole rings exhibited fluorescence quenching as a result of charge transfer. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was observed in the alternate polymers containing naphthalene and thiophene rings. The random copolymers obtained by copolymerization followed by post-functionalizations exhibited characteristic optoelectronic properties that differed from those of the alternate polymers.