Sonogashira coupling of diethynylsilane and dibromoarene in wet solvent for the formation of poly[(ethynylenearylene)-co-(diethynylenesilylenearylene)]

Copolymerization of diethynylsilane and dibromoarene by Sonogashira coupling was investigated. Polymerization in dry triethylamine gave poly(diethynylsilylenearylene)s, while in wet triethylamine, hydrolytic desilylation competed to afford polymers containing extended ethynylene–arylene units in the backbone. The resulting polymers exhibited hole-transporting properties in the solid state, being applicable to EL device materials.