AN OLIGOTHIOPHENE CATION-RADICAL THAT FORMS PI-STACKS - A MODEL FOR POLARON AGGREGATION IN CONDUCTING POLYMERS

A new class of functional units for preparing charge transfer salts, b ased on pi-stacks of a conducting oligomer in analogy to the well-know n stacks of TTF units, is reported and provides a connection between C T salts and conducting polymers. The synthesis of the new water-solubl e thiophene oligomer is presented and it is suggested that pi-stacks m ay be present in some oxidized polythiophenes and similar polymers.