Synthesis and characterization of novel styryl-substituted oligothienylenevinylenes

A number of 3-monosubstituted bis(thienylvinyl)thiophenes, suitable for the preparation of electronically-variable poly(thienylenevinylene)s have been synthesized for the first time. These materials have been characterized by both NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and a single crystal X-ray structure analysis of (E,E)-3-(5,5-dimethyl[1,3]dioxin-2-yl)-2,5-bis(2-thien-2-ylvinyl)thiophene has shown that the planarity of the terthienylenevinylene chain is maintained on substitution at the 3 position of the central thiophene ring. UV/visible spectroscopy measurements are reported and cyclic voltammetric measurements show that, with the exception of (E,E,E)-2,5-bis(2-thien-2-ylvinyl)-3-(2-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)vinyl)-thiophene, electroactive films are produced on electrochemical oxidation of the monomers.