Synthesis of π-conjugated polymers bearing electronic and optical functionalities by organometallic polycondensations and their chemical properties

A wide variety of pi-conjugated polymers have been synthesized by using organometallic polycondensations. For instance, Ni(0) complex-promoted dehalogenative polycondensation of dihaloaromatic compounds, X-Ar-X, affords poly(arylene)s, -(Ar)(n)-. Pd-catalyzed polycondensation gives alternating copolymers, -(Ar-Ar')(n)-, and poly (aryl ene-ethynylene) s, -(Ar-C C-Ar'-C C)(n)-. These polymers show distinguishing optical and electrochemical properties and functionalities. Their well-characterized linear structures lead to molecular assembly and packing of the polymer molecules in solutions and in the solid state. In this article, we describe the synthesis of pi-conjugated polymers by the organometallic polycondensations, chemical properties of the synthesized polymers, and applications of the polymers for electronic and optical devices. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.