Chiral Silylene-Spaced Divinylarene Copolymers

A Heteroatom-Containing Functional Poly(Silylenevinylene): Synthesis, Anion Binding, and Sensing of Anion Extraction Processes

Catalytic hydrosilylation is one of the important synthetic approaches to prepare functional organosilicon polymers. Herein, a functional silicon copolymer is constructed by polyhydrosilylation reaction between a novel 3,7-bis(dimethyl silane)-10-(2-ethylhexyl)-10H-phenothiazine monomer and a neutral tetrapyrrolic macrocycle, namely, 5,5,10,15,15,20-hexamethyl-10α, 20α-bis(4-[ethynylphenyl]) calix[4]pyrrole. The as-constructed copolymer (Mn  = 9609, PDI = 2.2) is investigated as an extractant for organic anions as their tetrabutylammonium salts under interfacial aqueous-organic (water-chloroform) conditions. In this context, a distinctive naked-eye colorimetric as well as fluorescence detection method is developed based on anion-directed hydrogen-bonding interactions. This kind of color/fluorescence monitoring serves as a handy tool for rapid screening of anion extraction processes. The copolymer exhibits high selectivity toward extraction of chloride anion. This study augments the field of polycarbosilanes, poly(silylenevinylene)s in particular, allowing access to a new application window that can be further advanced with good grace in near future.

Thorpe–Ingold effect on the conformation and photophysical properties of dialkylsilylene-spaced divinylarene copolymers

Geminal disubstitution on silicon in dialkylsilylene-spaced divinylarene copolymers may dictate the conformation and photophysical properties of the copolymers, bulky (i)Pr substituted copolymers being more folded than Me substituent analogues.

Alternating divinylarene–silylene copolymers

A summary of recent advances on the chemistry and photophysics of silylene-spaced divinylarene copolymers is presented. The silicon moieties have been shown to serve as an insulating spacer in these copolymers. The photophysical studies have provided useful insights into how chromophores in polymers interact intramolecularly. Because different chromophores can be regioregularly introduced into the polymeric chain, these copolymers have been extensively used as models for studying energy transfer, light harvesting as well as chiroptical transfer.

Efficient Light Harvesting and Energy Transfer in Organic−Inorganic Hybrid Multichromophoric Materials

Thin films of silica hybrid materials consisting of two to three covalently bound organic chromophores at different ratios were conveniently synthesized and fabricated. The photophysical properties of these materials have been studied. The fluorescence spectra reveal complete fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from donor to acceptor, and the light-harvesting ability of these hybrid materials increases with increasing the molar fraction of donor chromophore. In a three-chromophore system, the energy is transferred from 300 to 530 nm successfully. Time-resolved fluorescence experiments are employed to elucidate the average rates and efficiencies (84-97%) of energy transfer in these organic/inorganic hybrid systems. The hybrid materials have been shown to provide antenna effect to facilitate energy transfer and light harvesting.