Processible conjugated polymers: from organic semiconductors to organic metals and superconductors

Building Blocks for N-Type Molecular and Polymeric Electronics. Perfluoroalkyl- versus Alkyl-Functionalized Oligothiophenes (nTs; n = 2−6). Systematic Synthesis, Spectroscopy, Electrochemistry, and Solid-State Organization

The synthesis, comparative physicochemical properties, and solid-state structures of five oligothiophene (nT) series differing in substituent nature and attachment, regiochemistry, and oligothiophene core length (n) are described. These five series include the following 25 compounds: (i) alpha,omega-diperfluorohexyl-nTs 1 (DFH-nTs, n = 2-6), (ii) beta,beta'-diperfluorohexyl-nTs 2 (isoDFH-nTs, n = 2-6), (iii) alpha,omega-dihexyl-nTs 3 (DH-nTs, n = 2-6), (iv) beta,beta'-dihexyl-nTs 4 (isoDH-nTs, n = 2-6), and (v) unsubstituted oligothiophenes 5 (alphanTs, n = 2-6). All new compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. To probe and address quantitatively how the chemistry and regiochemistry of conjugated core substitution affects molecular and solid-state properties, the entire 1-5 series was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and optical absorption and emission spectroscopies. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for several fluorocarbon-substituted oligomers are also presented and compared. The combined analysis of these data indicates that fluorocarbon-substituted nT molecules strongly interact in the condensed state, with unit cell level phase separation between the aromatic core and fluorocarbon chains. Surprisingly, despite these strong intermolecular interactions, high solid-state fluorescence efficiencies are exhibited by the fluorinated derivatives. Insight into the solution molecular geometries and conformational behavior are obtained from analysis of optical and variable-temperature NMR spectra. Finally, cyclic voltammetry data offer a reliable picture of frontier MO energies, which, in combination with DFT computations, provide key information on relationships between oligothiophene substituent effects and electronic response properties.

Reactive coupling of 4-vinylaniline with hydrogen-terminated Si(100) surfaces for electroless metal and "synthetic metal" deposition

Pristine and resist-patterned Si(100) substrates were etched by aqueous HF to produce hydrogen-terminated silicon (H-Si(100)) surfaces. The H-Si(100) surface was then subjected to UV-induced reactive coupling of 4-vinylaniline (VAn) to produce the VAn monolayer-modified silicon (VAn-Si) surface. The VAn-Si surface was first functionalized with a "synthetic metal" by oxidative graft polymerization of aniline with the aniline moieties of the coupled VAn molecules. The composition and topography of the VAn-Si and polyaniline (PAn)-grafted VAn-Si (PAn-VAn-Si) surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The doping-undoping (protonation-deprotonation) and redox-coupling (metal reduction) behavior, as well as the electrical conductivity, of the surface-grafted PAn were found to be similar to those of the aniline homopolymer. The VAn-Si surface was also funtionalized by the electroless plating of copper. Not only did the VAn layer provide chemisorption sites for the palladium catalyst, in the absence of prior sensitization by SnCl2, during the electroless plating process, it also served as an adhesion promotion layer and a low-temperature diffusion barrier for the electrolessly deposited copper. Finally, micropatterning of the grafted PAn and of the electrolessly deposited copper were demonstrated on the resist-patterned VAn-Si surfaces.

Highly practical and general synthesis of monodisperse linear pi-conjugated oligoenynes and oligoenediynes with either trans- or cis-olefin configuration

Efficient and practical synthesis of a variety of 1-iodo-4-(trimethylsilyl)but-1-en-3-yne derivatives 1 and 2 with trans- and cis-olefin configuration was described. Their repeated use as building blocks allowed the facile synthesis of trans- and cis-oligoenynes, respectively. Development of a highly practical method for preparing monodisperse trans- and cis-oligoenediynes having the effective conjugation length was also accomplished by using 5 and 4, which can be readily prepared from 1 and 2, respectively.

Conducting polymers in electronic chemical sensors

Conducting organic polymers have found two main kinds of application in electronics so far: as materials for construction of various devices and as selective layers in chemical sensors. In either case, interaction with ambient gases is critical. It may compromise the performance of a device based on conducting polymers, whereas it is beneficial in a sensor. Conductivity has been the primary property of interest. Work function--related to conductivity, but in principle a different property--has received only scant attention. Our aim here is to discuss the usability of conducting polymers in both types of electronic applications in light of these two parameters.