A novel approach to light emitting polyarylenes: cyclization of poly(arylene vinylene)s

Summary form only given, as follows. Electrochemical oxidation of poly[1.4-phenylene-1.2-(4-phenoxyphenyl)vinylene] DPOP-PPV, proceeds in three oxidation stages, which are complekely reversible (see Helbig, Horhold: Makromol. Chern. 194 (1993) 1607). In contrast, the new Poly-(arylene vinylene)s noted as figure numbers 1 and 3 readily dehydrocyclize during oxidation with FeCl₃ x 6H₂0 to form the novel polyarylenes numbered 2 and 4, which are soluble and filmforming materials. Figures 2 and 4 show photoluminescence in the blue or yellow region, respectively.