Towards Semiconducting Graft Copolymers: Switching from ATRP to "Click" Approach

The synthesis of two polyconjugated graft copolymers based on a poly(fluorene-phenylene) backbone and polystyrene side chains is described here. The two different approaches followed, ATRP growth of side chains from a preformed conjugated backbone and "click" connection of well-defined polymeric chains to the backbone, led to different results in terms of solubility and material properties. While the ATRP method seems to be responsible of a partially cross-linked and nonsoluble copolymer, the "click" approach provides a graft copolymer, which is completely soluble, showing atypical spectroscopic properties that are here elucidated.