A platform to synthesize a soluble poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) analogue

Alkyl-substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) cage is combined with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene under the same roof. The corresponding monomer called EDOT-POSS is used to get soluble poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-POSS) analogue. Both chemically and electrochemically obtained polymers are soluble in common organic solvents like dichloromethane, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, and so forth. The PEDOT-POSS has somewhat higher band gap (1.71 eV at 618 nm) than its parent PEDOT (1.60 eV at 627 nm) and as expected the PEDOT-POSS exhibits higher optical contrast (74% at 618 nm) and coloration efficiency (582 cm2/C for 100% switching), lower switching time (0.9 s), higher electrochemical stability (93% of its electroactivity retains after 5000 cycles under ambient conditions) when compared to the PEDOT. A number of advantages of the PEDOT-POSS over the PEDOT can make it a promising material in the areas of electro-optical applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3935–3941