Synthesis of phenylenevinylene and naphthylenevinylene homopolymers and block copolymers by ring-opening metathesis polymerization

Homopolymers and copolymers containing phenylenevinylenes and naphthylenevinylenes can be synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization of strained monomers such as tetraoctyloxy-substituted cyclophanedienes and naphthalenophanedienes initiated by the third-generation Grubbs' initiator. The resulting homopolymers exhibited low polydispersities. The block copolymers can also be synthesized by the sequential ring-opening metathesis polymerization of two individual monomers. The structures of homopolymers and block copolymers were fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The molecular weight distribution of the block copolymers is relatively broad compared to their parent homopolymers possibly due to chain transfer reaction. The molar ratio of the two blocks can be tailored by the ratio of the monomers employed. The block copolymers exhibited a more efficient energy transfer in the solid state between the different blocks than those carried out in solution. The optical and electrochemical properties of the polymers were investigated and exhibited the potential uses in optoelectronics devices. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.