Substituent and heteroatom effects on the electrochromic properties of similar systems

Electrochromic polymers called poly(3,4-dihydro-3,3-bis ((naphthalen-1-yl)methyl)-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine) (PProDOT-Np-2), poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-selenopheno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine), and poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine) were synthesized electrochemically and the effect of substituents and heteroatoms on the electrochromic properties were investigated for the similar systems. All polymers show electrochromism from a colored state when neutralized to transmissive when oxidized. Although, increasing bulky size (PProDOT-Np-2) causes lower coloration efficiency (CE) as well as lower optical contrast, the replacement of S atom by Se atom resulted in a lower band gap polymer with a higher CE than its thiophene analog. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 50: 615- 621, 2012