Polymer reaction of poly(p-phenylene-ethynylene) by addition of decaborane: Modulation of luminescence and heat resistance

Abstract

Polymer reactions of poly(p-phenylene-ethynylene) (PPE) based on the addition reaction of decaborane to the carbon-carbon triple bond were successfully carried out. The platform polymer was synthesized through Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling polymerization. The effective introduction of the boron cluster, and thus the subsequent formation of o-carborane, was supported by 1 H and 11 B nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. The introduction rate of decaborane to the polymer main chain was proportional to the feed ratio of decaborane. Ultraviolet-visible absorption and photoluminescence studies illustrate the shortening of the effective -conjugation length caused by the introduction of carborane clusters. Furthermore, the introduction of the boron cluster by the polymer reaction efficiently enhanced the heat resistance of PPE. ©The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) All rights reserved.