Synthesis of a soluble conjugated cumulene polymer: poly(biphenyl-4,4 '-diyl-1,4-bis(4-dodecyloxypkenyl)-buta-1,2,3-triene-1,4-diyl)

A conjugated polymer with a butatriene segment in the main chain, poly(biph enyl-4,4'-diyl-1,4-bis(4-dodecyloxyphenyl)buta- 1,2,3-triene-1,4-diyl), was synthesized from 1,4-bis(4-bromophenyl)-1,4-bis(4-dode-cyloxyphenyl)buta-1 ,2,3-triene by dehalogenative poly-codensation using Ni(cod)(2). The polyme r was well soluble in usual organic solvents such as CHCl3 and THE Structur al analyses and characterizations were carried out by IR, NMR, UV-Vis, PL, and Raman spectroscopy, as well as electrical conductivity. it is suggested that pi -conjugation is extended to some degree through biphenylylene and butatrienylene linkages.