Carbazole-functionalized polyfluorenes: synthesis and conformational properties in chloroform solution and β-phase formation in copolyfluorene films

Abstract Novel copolyfluorenes (CPFs) containing 2.5 or 10 mol% of carbazole-2,7-diyl (2,7-Cz) or carbazole-3,6-diyl (3,6-Cz) derivatives in the backbone have been synthesized by means of palladium-catalyzed Suzuki polymerization under microwave irradiation. The structure of the CPF polymers was also modified by insertion of additional 2-ethylhexyl or carbazole, diaryloxadiazole, or triphenylamine units via 3,6-Cz or 2,7-Cz comonomer units in the side chains of polymers. The self-organization of molecules in chloroform solutions was investigated using light scattering and within a wide concentration interval. Analysis of the behavior of the CPFs showed that the synthesized copolymers have an increased equilibrium rigidity of molecules with a Kuhn segment length A = (10–15) nm. The A value decreases with the introduction of Cz-units into the macromolecule in the meta-position. It is shown that chemical structure of the CPFs and thermal treatment in the temperature range 60–150 °C have a dominant effect on the optoelectronic properties as well as on microstructures of their films.