Synthesis of π-conjugated poly(arylene)s by polycondensation of 1,4-bis(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)benzene and aryl dibromides through regiospecific C-H functionalization process

摘要： On the basis of the Ru-catalyzed regiospeci?c direct double arylation of benzene rings possessing 3-methylpyridin-2-yl substituents to produce 1-aryl-2-(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)benzene derivatives, the synthesis of poly(p-phenylene) derivatives having 2,5-bis(3-methylpyridin-2-yl) substituents is described. The reaction of 1,4-bis(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)benzene with bromobenzene (2 equiv) was carried out in the presence of [RuCl2(η6-C6H6)]2 (5 mol %) in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at 120°C for 24 h to produce 1,4-bis(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylbenzene in 99% yield as a sole product. Neither 2,6-diphenylated nor further phenylated products was produced under the examined conditions. This regiospeci?c double arylation process was then applied to the synthesis of π-conjugated polymers by use of aryl dibromides such as 1,4-dibromobenzene, 2,7-dibromo-9,9-dihexyl?uorene, and 2,5-dibromothiophene. For example, a polymer was obtained in 73% yield by using 1,4-dibromobenzene, whose Mn and Mw/Mn were estimated to be 3300 and 1.51, respectively. The bathochromic shift of the ultraviolet (UV)–visible absorption spectrum with respect to that of the model compound, 1,4-bis(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylbenzene, indicated the extension of the π-conjugation. The blue ?uorescence was also observed for the polymer upon the UV irradiation.