Poly [(1-methylene-2-methylnaphthalene) -N-pyrrole] : a new fluorophore-containing electroactive conducting polymer 1

A new fluorophore-containing polymer, poly [(1-methylene-2-methylnaphthalene)-N-pyrrole] (PMNPy), was electrosynthesized by anodic oxidation of the corresponding monomer (MNPy) in 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAClO4) or 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBABF4) acetonitrile solution and characterized spectroscopically. An electroactive PMNPy film was formed either by cyclic voltammetry between −0.4 and 1.3 V versus Ag/AgCl or at controlled potential (1.3 V). FT-IR studies indicate that this polymer has a linear structure, with 2,5 coupling on the pyrrole moiety. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis shows that oxidized PMNPy films have a globular structure, with thicknesses ranging between 0.4 and 1.3 μm. UV absorption, excitation and emission fluorescence spectra were performed on PMNPy and the corresponding monomer. The fluorescence properties of the polymer in acetonitrile solution as well as in the solid state indicate the persistence of a naphthalene-like emission.