Synthesis and characterization of a novel poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivative carrying an oxadiazole side chain with improved electron affinity

Electroluminescent conjugated polymers based on poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) have been a subject of interest due to their potential application in light-emitting devices (LEDs). Here an oxadiazole-containing PPV polymer, poly[2-(5′-nonyl-1′,3′,4′-oxadiazole-2′-yl)-1,4- phenylenevinylene)], was synthesized through the Gilch route. The 1,3,4-oxadiazole unit was introduced as a side-chain into the PPV system to improve the electron affinity of the polymer. The electrochemical investigation of the polymer indicates that the polymer electron affinity has been significantly enhanced, which can be comparable to CN-PPV. The polymer and its intermediates have been characterized by various techniques such as FTIR, MS and NMR.