Five series of photoluminescent monomers bearing different chromophores were synthesized and their polymers were successfully obtained through acetylene polymerizations. It is found that catalysts in the molybdenum family with the combination with toluene as solvent gives high polymer yields. And the use of tungsten catalysts with the combination with dioxane as solvent gives high molecule weight polymers instead. Most of the polymers are trans-rich. Checking the thermal stability of the polymers, it is found that the polymers with only one methylene spacer unit between the polyacetylene backbone and the chromophores possess the lowest thermal stability. This suggests that the formation of allylic species favors the decomposition of the polymers. Putting both monomers and polymers to ph...[ Read more ]

Five series of photoluminescent monomers bearing different chromophores were synthesized and their polymers were successfully obtained through acetylene polymerizations. It is found that catalysts in the molybdenum family with the combination with toluene as solvent gives high polymer yields. And the use of tungsten catalysts with the combination with dioxane as solvent gives high molecule weight polymers instead. Most of the polymers are trans-rich. Checking the thermal stability of the polymers, it is found that the polymers with only one methylene spacer unit between the polyacetylene backbone and the chromophores possess the lowest thermal stability. This suggests that the formation of allylic species favors the decomposition of the polymers. Putting both monomers and polymers to photoluminescence measurements, it is found that the polymers do not emit as strong as their corresponding monomers. The strongest photoluminescence goes to acetylenic monomers with carbazole unit. The length of spacer generally reflects the strength of photoluminescence: the longer the spacer length, the stronger the photoluminescence.