Synthesis and characterization of a poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-2,7-fluorene/β-CD)] main chain polyrotaxane

Poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-2,7-fluorene/β-CD)] main chain polyrotaxane was synthesized through organometallic Suzuki coupling by reacting β-cyclodextrin/2,7-dibromofluorene inclusion complex with 9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-bis(trimethyleneborate). The IR, NMR and elemental analysis data support the presence of β-cyclodextrin in the copolymer structure. No glass transition or melting phenomena were detected in DSC curves of the polyrotaxane on the heating run in the 50–250 ° range. As compared with the reference copolymer obtained in the absence of β-cyclodextrin, the rotaxane copolymer is more hygroscopic and soluble in polar/non-polar solvent mixtures. The expected modification of the optical properties of the fluorene copolymer with rotaxane architecture in the main chain was proved by fluorescence and UV–vis spectroscopy and consists in a blue-shifted emission.