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Facile access to coil-rod-coil-type block copolymers by CuAAC-based macromolecular clicking

Polymer Journal volume 55, pages 427–432 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Defect-free and perfectly linear polyarylenebutadiynylenes can be readily synthesized through acetylenic oxidative polymerizations of diethynyl arene monomers. Although these polymers are ideal semiconducting polymers with a rigid main chain backbone, they often have solubility issues even with the introduction of alkyl side chain groups. We recently reported the synthesis of a poly(thieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2,5-diylbutadiynylene) derivative and its semicrystalline feature due to the limited solubility of this compound. To increase the processability of this polymer in solution, we utilized a Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click postfunctionalization to introduce polystyrenes into the polymer terminals. The molecular weights estimated from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were reasonably increased, and the temperature-dependent absorption spectra suggested that the CuAAC-based functionalization was successful and furnished a coil-rod-coil type triblock copolymer. The resulting block copolymer exhibited higher solubilities in common organic solvents, but the electronic properties of the poly(thieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2,5-diylbutadiynelene) unit were retained in the solid thin film state.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant 19H02786.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan

    Kosuke Ogita, Naomasa Yomogita, Sultan Otep & Tsuyoshi Michinobu

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  1. Kosuke Ogita
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  2. Naomasa Yomogita
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  3. Sultan Otep
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  4. Tsuyoshi Michinobu
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Correspondence to Tsuyoshi Michinobu.

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Ogita, K., Yomogita, N., Otep, S. et al. Facile access to coil-rod-coil-type block copolymers by CuAAC-based macromolecular clicking. Polym J 55, 427–432 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-022-00714-z

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