Rhodium(I)-catalyzed polymerization of fluorenylacetylenes

The synthesis and characterization of poly(monofluorenylacetylenes) obtained by polymn. of 2-ethynyl-9,9-bis[(S)-3,7-dimethyl-octyl]fluorene and 2-ethynyl-9,9-bis[(S)-2-methylbutyl]fluorene are described. The effect of the structure of the alkyl chain at the C(9) position of fluorene on the properties of the materials was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric anal., x-ray diffraction anal., UV/Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and CD. Polymn. of chiral 2-ethynylterfluorene functionalized with (S)-2-methylbutylalkyl chains was studied. The resulting polymer exhibits high thermal stability; its emission spectrum occurs in the violet-blue region and shows no significant red shift on passing from a soln. to the solid state.