Branched polyphenylenes and phenylene dendrimers: NMR and optical studies

•Preparation and characterization of luminescent branched polyphenylenes.•Detailed 1H and 13C NMR characterization and precise signal assignment.•Combination of NMR and UV spectroscopies to determine chemical structures.

Two branched polyphenylenes with 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene as branching centers were synthesized together with a family of phenylene cyclotrimers as model compounds. On the basis of the NMR analysis, specifically 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 2D heteronuclear correlation experiments (HSQC and HMBC) of model compounds, the huge number of overlapping signals in the polymer spectra are attributed to aromatic protons and carbon atoms of the branched phenylene structure. The comparison with absorption spectra of linear model compounds clearly shows that the polymer optical properties depend on the length of the segments between the branching cores. This result strongly supports the proposed NMR assignment proving that the combination of the two techniques is a powerful tool for unveiling complex branched structures.

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