THE SYNTHESIS AND CROSS-LINKING OF SUBSTITUTED REGIOREGULAR POLYTHIOPHENES

A range of substituted head-to-tail polythiophene random copolymers co ntaining alkyl and omega-hydroxyalkyl side chains has been synthesized by protection of the alcohol as a tetrahydropyranyl acetal during pol ymerization. The omega-hydroxyl group can be transformed into an azide which, on heating, decomposes and leads to crosslinking which renders the solid polythiophene film insoluble and modifies its optical prope rties. An omega-hydroxyalkyl homopolymer has also been synthesized by this route and affords polymers with unexpected optical properties.