Facile synthesis of electroactive and electrochromic triptycene poly(ether-imide)s containing triarylamine units via oxidative electro-coupling

Abstract

Two bisimide compounds, TPA-TPDI and NPC-TPDI, consisting of a triptycene core and two triphenylamine (TPA) or N-phenylcarbazole (NPC) end groups were successfully synthesized by the condensation reactions from 1,4-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)triptycene dianhydride with 4-aminotriphenylamine and N-(4-aminophenyl)carbazole, respectively. These two monomers could polymerize electrochemically via the oxidative coupling reactions of triarylamine units. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of the electro-generated triptycene poly(ether-imide)s (TPA-TPPI and NPC-TPPI) were studied. Both polymers have two colored oxidation states, and TPA-TPPI showed better electrochromic performance than NPC-TPPI.