Synthesis and properties of tricarbazole-functionalized poly(norbornene-dicarboximide)

•A series of poly(norbornene-dicarboximide)s were synthesized by ROMP.•Introducing various acceptors to tricarbazole can achieve different color emission.•The HOMO levels of polymers are close to the most common hole injection materials.•The LUMO level of polymer with the cyano group is very close to the material of Alq3.•Polymers possess high thermal stability with decomposition temperature over 400 °C.

A series of poly(norbornene-dicarboximide)s with donor–acceptor pendants were synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and their photophysical and thermal properties have been investigated. By linking different electron-withdrawing groups to electron-donating tricarbazole on the side chain of poly(norbornene) backbone, the polymers displayed various fluorescence emission color as purplish blue (418 nm), greenish blue (489 nm), green (515 nm), and orange yellow (594 nm). The fluorescence quantum yield of polymer bearing tricarbazole-aldehyde group in CHCl3 was reached to 0.42. The highest occupied molecular orbital level of polymers was close to −5.3 eV, and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital varied between −2.34 and −3.02 eV. All polymers exhibited high thermal stability with decomposition temperature exceeding 400 °C.

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