Synthesis and properties of fluorene-based fluorinated polymers

Fluorene-based polymers containing various fluorinated benzene (fluorobenzene, p-difluorobenzene, and tetrafluorobenzene) moieties were synthesized. In addition, perfluorooctylation of poly-[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(fluorene-2,7diyl)] was carried out to afford fluorene-based polymers with perfluorooetyl moiety at the 9-position on the fluorene ring. To evaluate the effect of fluorine moiety, polymers containing nonfluorinated benzene moieties and nonfluorinated octyl groups were synthesized. The photoluminescence measurements indicated that all these polymers exhibited blue emission in solution, but a polymer containing a perfluorooetyl group did not emit in the film state. Polymers containing various fluorinated benzene moieties showed higher fluorescence quantum yields and thermal stability than those containing nonfluorinated benzene. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.