Optical rotation controllable atropisomer polythiophenes prepared in liquid crystals

Abstract

In cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electrolyte solution, polythiophene was synthesized, and the α-quaterthiophene as a monomer was pre-aligned in a liquid crystal orientation because of its rigidity. The polymer obtained through electrochemical polymerization transferred into the single-handed helical structure of the CLC to assume the form of an atropisomer, and the polymer oriented to the magnetic field was obtained by synthesis under a magnetic field. Electric field-driven control of optical rotation is a function similar to Faraday and Kerr rotations in the polymer. Electrochemical doping can also be used to control the chirality of this polymer.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Conducting polymers
• doping
• electrochemistry
• optical rotation polymerization

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest associated with this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 20K05626).