Polythiophene radical cation coupling

Figure 11.6 Radical cation coupling mechanism for polythiophene.

Figure 4.5. Coupling of thiophene radical cation to polythiophene.

A mechanism involving coupling of the radical-cation species has been proposed to account for the formation of the polythiophene and silica network... 

Summaries on the synthesis, properties, and uses of polythiophenes are included in two general reviews on poly thiophenes [259,260]. A synopsis of important aspects of polythiophenes are also included in several reviews on various aspects of conducting polymers [221-226], Cation radicals are the propagating species in both electrochemical and chemical oxidative polymerizations of thiophene and its derivatives. The polymer obtained by this method is linked primarily by a,a-linkages. However, other types of linkages (a,f3 and /3,/3) are present in varying amounts (Fig. 59). Substituted thiophene derivatives can couple in a head-to-tail or head-to-head manner. 

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