Low-potential electrochemical polymerization of carbazole and its alkyl derivatives

High quality polymer films can be easily electrodeposited by low-potential anodic oxidation of carbazole and its alkyl derivatives N-octylcarbazole, N-(6-bromohexyl)carbazole, 1,6-bis(carbazolyl)hexane in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE) or mixed electrolytes BFEE + CHCl3. As-formed polymer films showed good redox behavior in monomer free BFEE and were characterized by UV–Vis, infrared, fluorescence spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Fluorescence spectral studies both in solution and in solid state revealed that as-formed polymer films were good blue light emitters with strong emissions at about 420 and 440 nm, respectively.