Synthesis of soluble poly(9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-2,7-diyl)s. A new class of luminescent poly(p-phenylene)s with ethylene type bridges

Poly(9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-2,7-diyl)s with –OSi(R)2(R′) groups at the 9,10-positions were synthesized by dehalogenative polycondensation of the corresponding monomers by using a zerovalent nickel complex. They showed number average molecular weights (Mnʹs) of 9800–69,000 and high quantum yields (62%-quantitative) in photoluminescence. Palladium catalyzed copolymerization of 2,7-dibromo-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene having –OCH3 or –OSi(R)2(R′) groups at the 9,10-positions with diethynyl- or diboronic-aromatic compounds also gave photoluminescent polymers with high quantum yields.