Versatile Polymerization-Induced Emission Polymers from Barbier Polymerization of Cinnamic Esters with Tunable...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Cinnamic esters are abundant natural compounds with reactive α,β-unsaturated carbonyl structures.
• These structures offer diverse reactivities compared to traditional esters.
• Polymerization-induced emission (PIE) is a growing field for developing novel luminescent materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a versatile PIE strategy using Barbier polymerization of cinnamic esters.
• To explore the synthesis of polyalcohols and polyketones with distinct luminescence properties.
• To investigate the potential of these novel polymers in explosive detection.

Main Methods:

• Barbier polymerization of cinnamic esters with various organodihalides.
• Characterization of polymer structures via 1,2-addition and 1,4-addition pathways.
• Analysis of luminescence properties, including aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) behaviors.
• Evaluation of sensitivity for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) detection.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of polyalcohol and polyketone via Barbier polymerization.
• Demonstration of organodihalide-dependent reaction pathways (1,2- and 1,4-addition).
• Observation of diverse non-traditional intrinsic luminescence (NTIL) behaviors, including AIE and ACQ types.
• Achieved high sensitivity for TNT detection in solution (ppm level) and on test paper (ng level).

Conclusions:

• This work introduces novel PIE luminogens (PIEgens) derived from cinnamic esters.
• The study expands the library of monomers, polymers, and NTIL materials.
• Findings offer potential inspiration for advancements in polymer chemistry, NTIL, AIE, and PIE fields.