β-Terthiophene aldehyde and phosphonate: key building blocks for the synthesis of functionalised conducting polymers

A simple and efficient methodology has been developed for the synthesis of β-functionalised terthiophene monomers, conducting polymer precursors. Using a building block approach, the key materials, β-terthiophene aldehyde and phosphonate, were constructed with Suzuki chemistry. Reactions of these building blocks with the appropriate coupling partner under Wittig/Horner–Emmons conditions provides conjugatively-linked functionalised monomers.