Langmuir films from semi-amphiphilic sequence-controlled heterocyclic copolymers

In continuation of our investigations on Langmuir films of functional heterocyclic copolymers, we report the Langmuir film characteristics of new conjugated (ABAC)(n) and (ABAA)(n) copolymers, as inferred through surface pressure-area isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy. These processible copolymers consist of a N-dodecyl-2,5-bis(2-thienyl)pyrrole trimer in alternation with a phenylene, dioctyloxyphenylene, or thienylene unit. Their synthesis was performed using the Stille coupling reaction and the copolymers were fully characterized before studying the Langmuir film-forming characteristics. In comparison to homopolymers such as poly(3-alkylthiophene)s and poly(N-alkylpyrrole)s, these copolymers were found to form reasonably stable Langmuir films with high collapse pressures at the air-water interface. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.