Direct Low-Potential Electropolymerization of 9,10-Dihydrophenanthrene in Boron Trifluoride Diethyl Etherate

High-quality poly(9,10-dihydrophenanthrene) (PPh) with good fluorescence properties was synthesized electrochemically by the direct anodic oxidation of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE). PPh films obtained from BFEE-based electrolytes showed good electrochemical behavior and good thermal stability with an electrical conductivity of 2.2 x 10(-3) S/cm; this indicated that BFEE was a better medium for the electrosyntheses of PPh films. Dedoped PPh films were soluble in CH2Cl2, dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The structure and morphology of the polymer were also characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, H-1-NMR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively, which indicated the polymerization mainly occurred at the C-(2) and C-(7) positions. Fluorescent spectral studies indicated that PPh was a good blue-light emitter. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 117: 793-800, 2010