Practical synthesis of an amphiphilic, non-ionic poly(para-phenyleneethynylene) derivative with a remarkable quantum yield in water

Aggregation of poly(para-phenyleneethynylene)s is efficiently suppressed by introduction of branched oligoethyleneglycol side chains rendering the polymer backbone, which is readily obtained using an A2+ BBʹ polycondensation protocol, soluble and highly emissive in aqueous environments.