New functional and soluble polyacetylenes bearing intrinsic n- and p-doping side groups

While the discovery of metallic-like conductivity in doped polyacetylene provided an important foundation for the field of polymer electronics, the use of polyacetylene in modern applications has lagged since parent polyacetylene is completely insoluble and cannot be readily processed. Therefore, researchers have explored polymers with complex molecular structures and extensive synthetic protocols to obtain desirable optoelectronic performances, while enabling device fabrication to occur via spin coating or roll-to-roll printing. In this work, we report the straightforward synthesis of polyacetylenes with functional side groups that provide polymer solubility and enhanced stability to air, while concurrently leading to reduced HOMO/LUMO gaps in an undoped state. These new p- and n-type polymers bearing boryl- and amino-groups, respectively, show uniquely opposing NIR absorption behavior as a function of voltage, making these materials good candidates for the fabrication of flexible NIR photodetectors and optical switches.