Synthesis, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of carbazole derivatives with ferrocene groups

•Obtained two novel monomers based on carbazole derivatives with ferrocene groups•P(DTC-B-Fc) and P(DFC-B-Fc) films could display green color for the neutral state due to the introduction of ferrocene group.•Their copolymers with TT could show multielectrochromism, good optical contrast and coloration efficiency.

The compounds (DTC-B-Fc, DFC-B-Fc) based on carbazole derivative and ferrocene group were synthesized and characterized. Their homopolymer and copolymer with terthiophene (TT) could be obtained by electropolymerization. All the polymer films exhibited well-defined electrochemical properties. Spectroelectrochemical results indicated that P(DTC-B-Fc) films could show green color at the neutral state due to the existence of ferrocene units, then became blue and purple-blue color for the oxidation state. P(DTC-B-Fc/TT) films exhibited light brown at the neutral state, and a oxidation state black which absorbed the whole visible spectrum. While P(DFC-B-Fc) films could show green and blue colors under different applied potentials. The orange, brown and gray-black color could be observed for P(DFC-B-Fc/TT) films. What's more, comparing with the homopolymer, the copolymer films possessed better optical contrast, switching time, higher coloration efficiency and better electrochemical stability.

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