SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ELECTROCHEMICAL POLYMERIZATION OF OLIGOMETHYLTHIOPHENES

Regiospecifically methyl substituted alpha-conjugated thiophene oligomers have been synthesized and their structural and conformational properties investigated by C-13 NMR, X-ray and force field MMP2 calculations. The use of these molecules as 'monomers' for electropolymerization affords poly(3-methylthiophenes) showing spectroelectrochemical properties which depend on the size and the substitution pattern of the starting oligomer.