Alternating phenylenevinylene copolymers with dithienbenzothiadiazole moieties: Synthesis, photophysical, and photovoltaic properties

Two new soluble alternating phenylenevinylene copolymers S and L which contained dithienbenzothiadiazole moieties were synthesized by Heck coupling. The repeating unit of L was longer than that of S and contained two additional phenylene rings and two cyano‐vinylene bonds. Both copolymers were stable up to about 350°C and afforded char yield of 52–66% at 800°C in N 2 . Their absorption spectra were broad and extended up to about 600 nm with a longer wavelength maximum at 447–502 nm and optical band gap of ∼ 2.0 eV. These copolymers emitted yellow light in solution with PL maximum at 551–580 nm and orange‐red light in thin film with PL maximum at 588–661 nm. The emission maximum of L was considerably red‐shifted relative to S . Photovoltaic cells based on S (or L ) as donor and [6,6]‐phenyl C61‐butyric acid methyl ester as acceptor were investigated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009