Direct observation of odd-even effect in dilute polymeric solutions: A time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy study

The odd-even effect is demonstrated, for the first time, in dilute polymeric solutions of polyethers, consisting of substituted luminescent quinquephenyl units which are connected by flexible aliphatic chains of 7-12 methylene groups. The effect, which is demonstrated by means of steady state and time resolved fluorescence anisotropy, has been attributed to the different mutual orientation of the luminescent dipoles, in the odd (7, 9, 11) and even (8, 10, 12) polymers. Namely, as the temperature of the solution is lowered the flexible aliphatic chains adopt the nearly all-staggered lowest energy conformation, which results in different mutual orientations of the fluorophores in the two types of polymers.