Synthesis and Characterization of Well-Defined Soluble Alq3- and Znq2-Functionalized Polymers via RAFT Copolymerization

The reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerizations of 2-((8-hydroxyquinolin-5-yl)methoxy)ethyl methacrylate (HQHEMA) with styrene (St) or methyl methacrylate (MMA) were successfully carried out in the presence of 2-cyanoprop-2-yl dithionaphthalenoate (CPDN). The polymerization behaviors showed the typical living natures by the first-order polymerization kinetics, the linear dependence of molecular weights of the polymers on the monomer conversions with the relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn), and the successful chain extension experiments. The soluble polymers having tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) and bis(8-hydroxyquinoline) znic(II) (Znq2) side chains were obtained via complexation of the polymers with aluminium isopropoxide or zinc acetate in the presence of monomeric 8-hydroxyquinoline, which had strong fluorescent emission at 520 nm. The obtained polymers were characterized by GPC, 1H NMR, UV-vis, and fluorescent spectra.