Synthesis and Characterization of Star Copolymers Consisting of Fullerene and Conjugated Polyphenylene:  6-star-C60[styrene−poly(1,4-phenylene)-block-polystyrene] and 6-star-C60[polystyrene-block-poly(1,4-phenylene)]

The grafting of “living” polystyrene-block-poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene)-block-styryllithium and poly(1,3-cylclohexadiene)-block-polystyryllithium onto C60 yielded, respectively, 6-star-fullerene[styrene-block-poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene)-block-polystyrene] and 6-star-fullerene[polystyrene-block-poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene)]. Selective dehydrogenation of these macromolecules yielded, respectively, 6-star-fullerene[styrene-block-poly(1,4-phenylene)-block-polystyrene], C60(st−PPP−PS)6, and 6-star-fullerene[polystyrene-block-poly(1,4-phenylene)], C60(PS−PPP)6. 6-star-Fullerene[poly(1,4-phenylene)-block-polystyrene] could not be synthesized via this route as fullerene−poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) bonds were found to form without control and to degrade during aromatization. Star copolymers containing conjugated PPP were characterized by size exclusion chromatography, UV, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence quantum yields of C60(st−PPP−PS)6 and C60(PS−PPP)6 in THF were compared and discussed in light of characterizations of PPP−PS−PPP in comparable conditions without or mixed with C60(PS)6.