Synthesis of Highly Regioregular, Head-to-Tail Coupled Poly(3-octylesterthiophene) via C—H/C—H Coupling Polycondensation

Highly regioregular, head-to-tail coupled poly(3-octylesterthiophene) was synthesized by the Pd-catalysed oxidative C—H/C—H coupling polycondensation. The regioregularity of polymer products was confirmed by the 1 H-NMR technique. Furthermore, the effects of various reaction factors including polymerization temperature, solvents and catalysts etc. on the yield, molecular weight and structural regioregularity of the resultant polymers were systematically studied. The optical, electrochemical and crystallization properties of the resultant P3OET with different HT regioregularities in solution and film state were studied by UV-Vis and fluorescent spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray diffraction (XRD), resepectively.