Smooth color tuning of polymer and Eu³⁺-metallopolymer via post-modification effects of BF₂-chelation

In this paper, Poly(HVBMP-co-MMA) (1:100) with yellowish-green emission and the Eu³⁺-metallopolymer Poly(HVBMP-co-Eu-co-MMA) (1:1:100) characteristic of the Eu³⁺-incorporated reddish-orange emission were synthesized via the copolymerization between MMA (methyl methacrylate), vinyl-functionalized Schiff-base monomer HVBMP (2-(((4-vinylphenyl)imino)methyl)phenol), and/or organo-Eu³⁺-complex monomer [Eu(TTA)₃(4-VB-PBI)] (HTTA = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate; 4-VBPBI = 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-2- (pyridin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole). Interestingly enough, through the simple BF₂-chelation, the yellowish-green emission of Poly(HVBMP-co-MMA) (1:100) can be smoothly tuned to blue from Poly[(BF₂-VBMP)-co-MMA] (1:1:100), as well as for Poly(HVBMP-co-Eu-co-MMA) (1:1:100) with reddish-orange emission, dichromatic white-light (ɸ = 2.94%; CCT = 8722 K and CRI = 54) at the CIE coordinate (0.307, 0.247) can be achieved from Poly[(BF₂-VBMP)-co-Eu-co-MMA] (1:1:100). The facile synthetic approach combined with the excellent color tuning ability indicating the great potential of BF₂-chelation for future application in design and synthesis of multicolor light emitting polymer.