title: Synthesis of a donor-acceptor diblock copolymer via two mechanistically distinct, sequential polymerizations using a single catalyst.
abstract: Treatment of a Ni-terminated poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), generated in situ from 5-chloromagnesio-2-bromo-3-hexylthiophene and Ni(1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane)Cl2, with a perylene diimide-functionalized arylisocyanide monomer effects a chain-extension polymerization to afford a donor-acceptor diblock copolymer using a single catalyst and in a single reaction vessel. The two mechanistically distinct polymerizations proceed in a controlled, chain growth fashion, allowing the molecular weight of both the P3HT and poly(isocyanide) blocks to be tuned by adjusting the initial monomer-to-catalyst ratios. The resulting materials are found to self-assemble into crystalline, lamellar stacks of donor and acceptor components in the solid state, and also exhibit fluorescence quenching in thin films, properties which poise these materials for use in organic photovoltaic applications.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Zhongjian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Vanden Bout
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bielawski
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003460:Crystallization; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers
keywords: block copolymer self-assembly; donor-acceptor block copolymers; perylene diimide; poly(thiophene); polymer solar cells