New oligomers and polymers from anodic coupling of bisdithienylethylene

Anodic coupling of bisdithienylethylene is reported. The resulting material, which has been characterized by cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectroscopies and in situ conductivity, results to be mainly constituted by the dimer coupled through the α-thiophene positions. In situ (solid state) polymerization increases the degree of polymerization from 2 to ca. 5. The conjugation (λmax=490 nm) and conductivity (5 S cm−1) of the polymer are slightly lower than those of poly(dithienylethylene) (505 nm and 40 S cm−1).