Near infrared absorbing soluble poly(cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′] dithiophen-4-one)vinylene polymers exhibiting high hole and electron mobilities in ambient air

We report the synthesis of two novel cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′] dithiophen-4-one monomers containing solubilizing alkyl groups in the peripheral 3,5 positions. Polymerization with (E)-1,2-bis(tributylstannyl)-ethylene under Stille coupling conditions afforded the first reported examples of soluble poly(cyclopentadithiophen-4-one)vinylenes. The resulting polymers absorb in the near-infrared, with a maximum thin film absorbance around 815 nm and have optical band gaps of 1.25 eV. The polymers exhibit promising ambipolar field effect transistor performance, with average saturated mobilities of 0.5 cm 2 V-1 s-1 for holes and 0.12 cm 2V-1 s-1 for electrons. The ambipolar transistors operate in both the hole and electron transport regimes in ambient air. Prolonged exposure to ambient atmosphere leads to a gradual loss of the electron transport behavior, with little change observed in the p-type mobility. © 2012 American Chemical Society.