Efficient synthesis of well-defined polycarbazoles via catalyst-transfer Kumada coupling polymerization

•Well-defined 3,6-PCZ was firstly prepared.•2,7-PCZ with a molecular weight 10,000 and low polydispersity of 1.27 was prepared.•The success of polymerization dependent on the N-substituents of monomer solubility.

Polycarbazoles (PCZ) are well-studied class of polymers with good electrical and photoactive properties. Here, we have prepared the well-defined 3,6-PCZ with a molecular weight of 6148 and low polydispersities of 1.18. We also used 2,7-dibromo-9-(heptadecan-9-yl)-9H-carbazole as monomer to increase the solubility of the polymer. The 2,7-PCZ with a high molecular weight over 10,000 and low polydispersity of 1.27 was prepared successfully.

Graphical AbstractPolymerization of the 3,6-dibromo-9-octyl-9H-carbazole with Ni(dppe)Cl2 affords the polymer with a molecular weight of 6148 and a low polydispersity of 1.18. These good results imply that catalyst-transfer Kumada coupling polymerization has generality for the synthesis of well-defined 3,6-polycarbazoles.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide