Synthesis and Electrical Conductivities of Poly(1,4-phenylenevinylene-co-2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenevinylene)s

A series of copolymers of poly(1,4-phenylenevinylene-co-2,3,5,6-tetramethyl- 1,4-phenylenevinylene), poly(PV-co-TMPV), were prepared in film forms from the precursor polymer films. The sulfonium salt precursor polymers were synthesized by copolymerization of the mixtures of the respective bis(sulfonium salt) monomers. All of the copolymer films could be doped with $FeCl_3$ to have high electrical conductivities and they showed good air stability. The maximum conductivity of the $FeCl_3$-doped films ranged $10^{-3}\;to\;10^2Scm^{-1}$ depending on the composition of the copolymer films. However, these copolymer films could not be doped with iodine. The coplanarity of PV and TMPV units in the main chain appears to be affected by steric effect of the methyl groups in the TMPV units.