Polytellurophenes

Will polytellurophenes bridge the gap between conjugated polymer and inorganic solid-state semiconductors? Polytellurophenes are a virtually unexplored class of conjugated polymer. In this paper, the synthetic methodologies that have been used to prepare polytellurophenes are chronicled. The properties of the resulting polymers are discussed and their potential for use as electronic materials is evaluated. It is far too early to know if these materials will lead to a useful class of thin-film semiconductors, however some key challenges associated with their synthesis and implementation are outlined. These challenges will need to be addressed as the conjugated polymer research community begins to utilize this area of the periodic table.