Conjugated polyrotaxanes: improvement of the polymer properties by using sterically hindered coordinating units

A new conjugated copper-complexed polyrotaxane has been prepared by electropolymerization of a thiophene derivative; the rings are threaded onto a multi-1,10-phenanthroline (phen) axle, copper(I) acting as a template. The presence of CH3 groups ortho to the nitrogen atoms of the phen nuclei belonging to the conjugated backbone has a profound effect on the stability of the polymer, on its electrochemical properties and on its ability to be remetallated once the template metal centre (copper(I)) has been removed.