Methoxy-substituted poly(thienylene vinylenes) and gas sensors.

Easy processing of poly(arylene vinylenes) has always been troubled by the insolubility of the conjugated system. Introduction of polar side groups inducing higher solubility, has overcome this difficulty. Using commercially available 3-methoxythiophene we synthesized methoxy-substituted poly(thienylene vinylenes) via direct methods such as the Grignard and the copper catalyzed coupling, yielding processible conjugated polymers. These types of reactions require the lithiation of the starting-product and in accordance with ab initio calculations we have demonstrated that an excess of butyllithium has to be used to obtain useful yields.