Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
A hyperbranched conjugated polymer containing triphenylamine was prepared by the Grignard reaction of tris(4-bromophenyl)amine 1, via the coupling of N, N-bis(4-bromophenyl)-N-(4-bromomagnesiophenyl)amine 2 with the catalytic amount of Ni(acac)2. Grignard reagent 2 reacted as an AB2-type monomer to give hyperbranched conjugated polymer 3 in a one-step process. Polymer 3 was also obtained via the Pd-catalyzed coupling of N, N-bis(4-bromophenyl)-4-animobenzeneboronic acid 4. Polymer 3 had an average molecular weight of 4.0–6.3×103 and was found to be soluble in organic solvents such as THF and CHC13. A cast film had an anodic peak at 0.95–1.20 V vs. Ag wire. It was dark blue above the oxidation potential and brown-yellow in the neutral state. When polymer 3 was doped with iodine, its conductivity rose to 0.8–3.0 S/cm