Robust Direct (Hetero)arylation Polymerization in Biphasic Conditions

The synthesis of conjugated polymers from direct (hetero)­arylation polymerization (DHAP) has been achieved for the first time using biphasic water/toluene conditions. This protocol is robust enough to form polymers even when air is introduced in the system. General reactivity is demonstrated for a single set of polymerization conditions with thienyl- or phenyl-based substrates, whether they are electron-rich or electron-poor. Complete characterization from differential scanning calorimetry and ¹H NMR and UV–vis–NIR spectroscopies is presented, demonstrating this DHAP protocol offers comparable or better properties than the very best values published thus far. High molecular weights are obtained, showcasing the perfect equilibrium of reactivity and selectivity attained with this method. Moreover, this efficient and versatile methodology, which also uses low-cost, “wet” reagents, is scalable and done at ambient pressure.