Synthesis and optical and electroluminescent properties of novel conjugated polyelectrolytes and their neutral precursors derived from fluorene and benzoselenadiazole

Novel copolymers derived from amino-functionalized fluorene- and selenium-containing heterocycles [2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole (BSeD)] were synthesized by the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling method. Their quaternized salt polyelectrolytes of corresponding compositions were obtained by a postpolymerization treatment. The resulting copolymers were soluble in polar solvents. An efficient energy transfer due to exciton trapping on the BSeD sites was observed. Devices from such copolymers emitted orange-red light peaked at 560-610 nm. All the polymers showed good device performance with high-work-function metal Al as a cathode without the use of an additional electron-injection layer and are promising candidates for polymer light-emitting diode applications. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.