Copper-catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition reactions used to incorporate NLO chromophores into high Tg Side-Chain Polymers for Electro-Optics

•EO polymer with high chromophore loading and high glass temperature was designed and prepared.•Functional polymer was prepared by post functional reaction at the mild conditions.•Large r33 (50 pm/V @ 1310 nm) and good long term stability were achieved by this EO polymer.•Novel cycloaddition reaction was used to incorporate NLO chromophore into polymers.

Polymers based on N-phenyl maleimide, N-4-propargyl methoxy phenyl maleimide and methyl methacrylate was synthesized. High glass temperatures 183, 179, 159 °C respectively for P1, P2 and P3 were achieved. EO polymer P3–C1, P3–C2 and P3–C3 with about 30 wt% chromophore loading density were prepared by attaching Chromophore C1, C2 and C3 to polymer P3 using copper-catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition reactions in mild reaction conditions and high yield. Among the EO polymers, P3–C3 showed us the best solubility in normal solvents and suitable glass temperature. EO films based on EO polymer P3–C3 showed us large EO coefficient of 50 pm/V @1310 nm and good long-term stability, 85% EO activity was kept after annealing at 85 °C for 200 h.