Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of poly(aryl ether)s containing alternate emitting and electron-transporting moieties

A new diphenylbutadiene-containing bisphenol was successfully synthesized from benzylideneaniline and 4-propenylanisole via an anil synthetic method. A series of copoly(arylene ether)s consisting of an alternate isolated blue chromophore (diphenylbutadiene) and an electron-transporting moiety (1,3,4-oxadiazole) was synthesized and characterized. High molecular weight copoly(arylene ether)s with an inherent viscosity of >0.5 dL/g were prepared by the nucleophilic displacement reaction of oxadiazole-activated bis-fluorocompounds with bisphenols. Introduction of ether linkages into the copolymers led to an enhanced solubility in organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP). The resulting copolymers can be cast into tough and transparent films. The copolymers were amorphous in structure with high glass transition temperatures ranging from 182.29 to 194.50°C. They also exhibited good thermal stability with the maximum decomposition temperatures higher than 500°C in nitrogen. The absorption peaks of these copolymers in thin films varied from 375 to 391 nm, while the photoluminescent peaks varied from 410 to 433 nm. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.