posted on 2011-07-06, 00:00authored byElizabeth Amir, Roey J. Amir, Luis M. Campos, Craig J. Hawker
Novel azulene building blocks, prepared via the cycloaddition of thiophene-S,S-dioxides and fulvenes, allow for incorporation of the seven-membered ring of the azulene nucleus directly into the backbone of conjugated materials. This unique mode of incorporation gives remarkably stable, stimuli-responsive materials upon exposure to acid. This simple doping/dedoping strategy provides for effective optical band gap control and on/off fluorescence switching, reminiscent of polyaniline.