Synthesis and electrochromic properties of novel aromatic fluorinated poly(ether-imide)s bearing anthraquinone units

•A new CF3-substituted dietheramine with anthraquinone unit was synthesized.•New fluorinated poly(ether-imide)s with anthraquinone units were prepared.•The fluorinated polyimides exhibited enhanced solubility and optical transparency.•The polymers are potential cathodically coloring red electrochromes.

A novel class of fluorinated poly(ether-imide)s (PEIs) with anthraquinone (AQ) units were prepared from the polycondensation reactions of a newly synthesized AQ-dietheramine monomer, namely 2,6-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)-anthraquinone, with aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides via a conventional two-step technique. The fluorinated polyimides exhibited enhanced solubility and optical transparency because of increased free volume caused by the CF3 substituents. Furthermore, the PEIs showed high thermal stability, with glass-transition temperatures of 263–312 °C and decomposition temperatures in excess of 500 °C. These PEIs were also investigated by cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. Preliminary results reveal that these AQ-based PEIs are potentially useful as cathodically coloring red electrochromes.

Graphical abstractA new CF3-substituted dietheramine 2,6-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)anthraquinone was synthesized and used to prepare organosoluble fluorinated poly(ether-imide)s with electroactive and electrochromic properties.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide