Preparation, characterizations and electrochromic properties of copolymers containing 5, 10, 15, 20-tetra(thienyl) porphyrin and thiophene derivatives

Four meso-tetrakis (thienyl)porphyrin (Por) monomers, either free or complexed with Zn(II), have been copolymerized with thiophene or 3,4-ethyldioxythiophene (EDOT) for preparation of multielectrochromic polymers in boron fluoride ethyl ether (BFEE). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirm the formation of these copolymers. Due to the deep coloration, distinctive electronic spectra and large conjugated characteristics of porphyrins, the prepared copolymers possess multielectrochromic properties with fast switching response and good stability, which can be tuned by the comonomers, and cornplexing of porphyrin with Zn(II). Although the Zn(II) derivatives can act as a donor molecule, the Zn(II) cornplexing is still difficult to electrochemically polymerize as polymer films in comparison with their porphyrin monomers such as 5, 10, 15, 20-tetra(3-thienyl) porphyrin, which may take a deep influence on the structure of the resultant copolymers, then the spectroelectrochemical properties. Finally, our work indicates that porphyrin macrocycle can be a good embedding unit for preparing electrochromic polymers.