Liquid crystalline, highly luminescent poly(2,5‐dialkoxy‐p‐phenyleneethynylene)

Abstract
A high‐molecular‐weight poly(2,5‐dialkoxy‐p‐phenyleneethynylene) derivative has been prepared by the Heck reaction of 1,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐2,5‐diiodobenzene and 1,4‐diethynyl‐2,5‐dioctyloxybenzene. The highly luminescent polymer exhibits excellent solubility and can readily be processed into high‐optical‐quality films. The weight‐average molecular weight w was 240000 g · mol−1, with a polydispersity index of 2.9. Thermal analysis revealed a glass transition around 90°C, and an onset of chemical crosslinking at 130°C. The high w and the remarkable solubility enabled the preparation of liquid crystalline solutions of the new PPE.