Synthesis and characterization of three‐arm star‐shaped conjugated poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s: impact of the core structure on optical properties

Star-shaped molecules consisting of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) chains as the arms, attached to either a propeller-like triphenylamine or a planar triphenylbenzene core, have been synthesized via Suzuki coupling. The structures of the three-arm star-shaped poly(3-hexylthiophene) (s-P3HT) materials obtained were studied using Fourier transform infrared, H-1 and C-13 NMR, XRD, gel permeation chromatography and DSC. The s-P3HT polymers were soluble in common organic solvents and exhibited number-average molecular weights of 6000-7200gmol(-1). Their optical properties in solutions and in solid state films were investigated using the UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence techniques, and were compared with those of linear P3HT. (c) 2015 Society of Chemical Industry