Effect of hexadecyl groups in 4 position on the electrochemical polymerisation of 4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene

Hexadecyl groups in 4 position of 4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene (CPDT) molecule leads, by cyclic voltammetry (CV), to electrode films of polyconjugated polymers with a more regular morphology and higher interchain distance. The rate of film formation is lower for the alkyl-substituted compounds and, in this case, during the preparative cyclic voltammetry (PC), an induction step was observed inherent to the electrode covering process. The same induction step was observed also in the polymerisation of non-substituted molecule, but at lower concentrations.