Bridged dithienylethylenes as precursors of small bandgap electrogenerated conjugated polymers

Bridged dithienylethylenes (DTEs) bearing solubilizing alkyl chains at various positions (2-5) have been synthesized by McMurry dimerization of cyclopenta[b]thiophen-6-ones. In order to introduce alkyl substituents at different positions of the DTE molecule, the precursor ketones have been prepared by different strategies based on a combination of Mannich or Wittig-Horner reaction and Friedel-Craft intramolecular cyclization. The position and the length of the alkyl substituents exert a strong effect on the ability of the precursor to undergo electrochemical polymerization. Thus, whereas substitution at the alpha-position of the ethylene linkage (3) results in a rapid inhibition of electropolymerization, introduction of alkyl chains at the beta-position (4, 5) greatly improves the efficiency of the polymerization process. The analysis of the electrochemical and optical properties of the polymers shows that rigidification of the DTE molecule leads to a significant decrease of the oxidation potential and bandgap. A comparative analysis of DTE and its bridged analogues by means of X-ray diffraction reveals, in agreement with experimental and theoretical results, that the observed reduction of both the HOMO-LUMO gap of the precursor and the bandgap of the corresponding polymers are related to a relaxation of bond length alternation in the DTE moiety.