Tacticity effects in side-chain photoluminescent polymers

Stereoregular side-chain photoluminescent (PL) polymers were synthesized via the stereospecific polymerization of 9,9-dibutyl-2-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-fluorene. The resulting isotactic, syndiotactic and atactic poly(9,9-dibutyl-2-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-fluorene) polymers were used as stereoregular polymer samples for examining the configurational tacticity effect on their PL properties. Our results revealed a unique tacticity-dependent effect as observed by an obvious red-shifting of the PL emission by increasing the degree of isotacticity of these stereoregular polymers; despite the ultraviolet spectra of these polymers exhibited similar absorption patterns. This study provides a new structural design for the syntheses of PL polymers.