Synthesis and Characterization of Thiophen-3-yl Acetic Acid 4-Pyrrol-1-yl Phenyl Ester and its Conducting Polymers

ABSTRACT

Thiophen-3-yl acetic acid 4-pyrrol-1-yl phenyl ester (TAPE) monomer was synthesized via reaction of thiophen-3-yl acetyl chloride with 4-pyrrol-1-yl phenol. Homopolymers were achieved by using electrochemical and chemical polymerization techniques. Copolymers of TAPE with bithiophene or pyrrole were synthesized by potentiostatic electrochemical polymerization in acetonitrile-tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBAFB) solvent-electrolyte couple. The chemical structures were confirmed by both Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (TGA) were used to examine the thermal behavior of the polymers. The morphologies of the films were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Two-probe technique was used to measure the conductivities of the samples. Moreover, investigations of electrochromic and spectroelectrochemical properties of poly(TAPE-co-BiTh) carried out and the characteristics of dual type electrochromic device based on poly(TAPE-co-BiTh) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) were reported.

Keywords:

• N-substituted pyyroles
• conducting polymers
• electrochromism
• spectroelectrochemistry