Electrochemically Polymerized Terthiophene – C60 Dyads for the Photochemical Generation of Singlet Oxygen

The photoactive layers of poly(terthiophene) with covalently attached fullerene photosensitizers were formed on indium–tin oxide (ITO) substrate in the process of electrochemical polymerization from the solution of corresponding terthiophene–C60 dyad. Two dyads were studied: without (C60TTh) and with (C60TThVin) vinyl spacing between C60 and TTh units. The deposited films [P(C60TTh) and P(C60TThVin)] were characterized by means of cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as atomic force microscopy. Both P(C60TTh) and P(C60TThVin) layers absorbed in visible region and under green light illumination C60 photosensitizer were activated toward singlet oxygen generation via energy transfer from the polymeric moiety. The formation of 1O2 by the layers was confirmed with 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylcyclopentadienone as a specific singlet oxygen quencher. The C60–polyterthiophene layers were, in turn, applied in the process of α-terpinene oxidation. It has been shown tha...