Synthesis and characterization of conducting copolymers of succinic acid bis-(4-pyrrol-1-yl-phenyl) ester and their electrochromic properties

A new dipyrrolyl monomer was synthesized via the reaction between 4-pyrrol-1-yl phenol and butanedioyl dichloride. Electrochemical behavior of this monomer, succinic acid bis-(4-pyrrol-1-yl-phenyl) ester (SM) was studied. Homopolymerization was achieved by chemical and constant Current electrolysis methods. Copolymerization of SM with thiophene was performed by constant potential electrolysis in acetonitrile (AN)-tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBAFB) and dichloromethane (DCM)-TBAFB, solvent-electrolyte couples. The chemical structure characterization was investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal analyses were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA). The morphologies of the films were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Conductivities of the samples were measured by using four-probe technique. Moreover, spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic properties of SM/PTh copolymer were investigated by UV-Vis spectrophotometer and colorimetry. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.