A Long π-Conjugated Poly(para-Phenylene)-Based Polymeric Segment of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Conjugated polymers have attracted much attention for many years and have applications in various organic devices. Carbon nanotubes can be considered as all-carbon tube-shaped conjugated polymers containing only sp²-bonded atoms, which play an important role in nanotechnology and nanoelectronics. So far, no study has reported the realization of long π-conjugated polymers as diameter-specified carbon nanotube segments. Herein, we report the first synthesis of a π-conjugated polymeric segment (PS1) of armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). PS1 is achieved by a rationally designed synthesis of a bifunctionalized cyclo-para-phenylene monomer, followed by inserting these ring-shaped units into the conjugated poly(para-phenylene) backbone. PS1 was fully characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) combined with NMR, FTIR, and Raman spectra. Possessing unique structural and physical properties, this long π-extended polymer PS1 can provide new insight for the development of bottom-up syntheses of uniform carbon nanotube segments and potential applications in electron- and hole-transport devices.