Soluble substituted poly-p-phenylenes--a new material for application in light-emitting diodes: synthesis and...

Poly-p-phenylenes have attracted a great deal of attention with respect to their applications in displays, light-emitting devices, and batteries. However, the polymer poly-p-phenylene obtained by the Kovacic method is insoluble and intractable. The present study reports the preparation of soluble poly(p-phenylenes) by polymerization of derivatives of benzene in the presence of a specific aromatic nuclei. The resultant copolymer so obtained is soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform and toluene. Preliminary studies have indicated that the polymer shows orange photoluminescence and electroluminescence when a potential of 7-10 V is applied to the device.