title: Water- and ionic-liquid-soluble branched polythiophenes bearing anionic and cationic moieties.
abstract: The synthesis of ionically functionalized branched polythiophenes with either carboxylic acid (anionic, P3T-COOH) or methylimidazolium (cationic, P3T-MIM) end groups is presented. Due to the large number of end groups present in the polymer, the functionalization has a major impact on the solubility of the polymers. In the case of P3T-COOH, the polymer shows a fully reversible phase transfer between organic solvents and water, depending on the pH. Remarkably, the ionic-liquid-modified polymer P3T-MIM is soluble in a room-temperature ionic liquid. The absorption properties are unaffected by the functional end groups.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Polymerchemie, Universität Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ludwigs