Syntheses and characterisation of electrically conductive and fluorescent poly[3-(ω-bromoalkyl)thiophenes]

A novel series of functionalized polythiophenes incorporating 3-(ω-bromoalkyl) pendants were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization using FeCl3 and characterized using FT-IR, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, conductivity measurements and thermal analyses. These polymers attained a maximum electrical conductivity between 4.7 and 8.4 S cm−1 upon doping with iodine and have a fluorescence quantum yield of up to 11.1% with respect to quinine sulfate. The influence of the terminal ω-bromine substituent as of the length of the alkyl pendant on electrical conductivity, spectral behavior and thermal stability is discussed.