The potentially high photoluminescent quantum yield in organic semiconductors has made light emission through charge injection under an applied field (electroluminescence) a reality. This has thus resulted in the use of organic materials for LEDs, with the use of polymers having an advantage over smaller organic compounds in improving structural stability and processibility of the organic layers.

The first polymer-based LEDs consisted of an emissive layer of poly (1,4-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) as the hole injection electrode and aluminium or calcium as the electron-injecting electrode (Burroughes et al., Nature, 1990,347,539). This has been followed in other polymers for LED applications, with emphasis on the tuning of the emission colour by controlling the substitution pattern and the effective conjugation length in the polymer.

The route used for the synthesis of PPVs for LEDs has been predominantly the Wessling <BR> <BR> <BR> sulphonium salt precursor route (U. S. Pat. 3,401,152/1968 Wessling et al.) while another<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> important method of Gilch (Gilch et al., J. Poly. Sci. 1-A, 1966,4,1337), involved dehydrohalogenation of bis (halomethyl) benzene monomers with excess potassium t-butoxide to directly obtain the conjugated polymer. This protocol has been applied to the red emissive poly vinylene) s which have a typical absolute PL efficiency of ca. 15- 20%. Most commonly the preparation has referred to poly [2-methoxy-5 (2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4- phenylene vinylene] (Wudl, U. S. Pat. 5,189,136/1990). A modification of this route by Swatos and Gordon, based on the chloro-precursor route, used one equivalent of base to form the chloro- substituted soluble precursor polymer, which was then thermally converted to form the fully conjugated polymer [Swatos and Gordon, Polym. Prepr., 1990,31 (1), 505]. This route has since been used by various groups to make alkyl-, aryl-and alkoxy-substituted PPVs (Hsieh et al., Adv. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P>Mater., 1995,7,36; Polym. Adv. Tech., 1997,8,392; U. S. pat. 5,558,904; Sarnecki et al., Synth.

Met., 1995,69,545).

There is still a need to provide photoluminescent and electroluminescent polymers, which are easily manufactured and are processible. There is also still a need for polymers having improved photoluminescence and electroluminescence efficiencies.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems. Accordingly, the present invention provides a conjugated poly (1,4-arylene vinylene) compound comprising an arylene unit having adjacent substituents, said substituents being oriented such as to affect the electronic structure of the compound sufficiently to cause a blue-shift in the photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence of the compound.

The present invention also provides use of a poly (arylene vinylene) compound comprising an arylene unit having adjacent substituents, in an electric, electronic, optical or optoelectronic component or device for producing blue-shifted electroluminescence or photoluminescence in said device.

The substituents may affect the electronic structure of the compound by exerting a steric or stereoelectronic effect, such as a twisting of the polymer backbone to accommodate their steric bulk, which twisting leads to a reduction in the conjugation of the compound. The reduction in conjugation in turn leads to a blue-shift in luminescence. Additionally, the substituents may possess one or more lone pairs of electrons which may interfere with the conjugation in the polymer to cause the blue-shift in luminescence.

The blue-shift is a blue-shift as compared with a hypothetical compound, this being the same polymer in which the orientation of the substituents (whether resulting from their steric bulk or some electronic effect) has no effect on the electronic structure of the compound. Thus, for example, the blue-shift may be a blue-shift resulting from a reduction in conjugation caused by twisting the backbone of the polymer to the degree required to accommodate the steric bulk of the substituents.

The present invention describes the surprising discovery of efficient blue-shifted emission from poly-1,4- (arylene vinylene) s having adjacent substituents, preferably 2,3-disubstituted PPV-based materials and their use in LEDs. This invention explores unconventional substitution patterns, e. g. in the case of poly (phenylene vinylenes) (PPVs) at the 2,3-positions on the phenyl ring as opposed to the standard 2,5-disubstituted PPVs and thus provides a means of tuning the colour of emission. In addition, the present invention provides a luminescent polymer that is both soluble and directly obtainable, preferably by the Gilch route. The invention refers to the synthesis of improved materials and their application in organic LEDs.

The present invention also provides materials-based light-emitting devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), in which the use of a layer of emissive polymer enables efficient devices to be constructed using aluminium or calcium cathodes. The polymer is a poly (1,4-arylene vinylene) having adjacent aryl substituents, preferably a poly (1,4-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) derivative, having substituents on the 2,3-positions of the phenylene ring. This substitution pattern produces a blue-shifted emission and high PL and EL device efficiencies. The polymerisation route is simple, the polymer is soluble, and displays good film forming properties with high photoluminescence in the solid state.

The invention will now be described in further detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the X-ray crystal structure of oligomer 9; Figure 2 shows absorption and PL spectra of films of oligomer 9; Figure 3 shows absorption spectra of PDB PPV 1 compared with a PPV film; Figure 4 shows PL spectra of PDB PPV 1 compared with PPV film and EL spectra of a bilayer device (configuration ITO/PPV/PDB-PPV 1/Ca) Figure 5 shows a plot of current density vs. applied voltage for a bilayer device (configuration ITO/PPV/PDB-PPV/Ca) Figure 6 shows absorption and photoluminescence spectra of films of copolymers 12 and 13; Figure 7 shows I-V-L plots for single layer device ITO/15C5-DB PPV 12/AI; Figure 8 shows I-V-L plots for single layer device ITO/15C5-DMOS PPV 13/AI; Figure 9 shows I-V-L plots for double layer device ITO/PPV/15C5-DMOS PPV 13/Al, at drive voltages ca. 14V, EL quantum efficiency up to 2.0%; Figure 10 shows a CV plot of 15C5-DB PPV copolymer 12; and Figure 11 shows a CV plot of 15C5-DMOS PPV copolymer 13.

The electroluminescent (EL) devices according to the present invention are injection-type diodes in which at least one active layer (EL layer) and one or more charge transport layers (if desired) are sandwiched between two different conducting layers (electrodes). One electrode is a hole- injecting translucent or transparent electrode while the other is an electron-injecting electrode.

The electrodes are electrically connected to each other and to a source of current to create a complete circuit. Improved efficiencies may be obtained using bilayer devices with PPV or hole transporting layers e. g. poly (vinyl carbazole) (PVK).

This invention refers in one specific embodiment to the polymer, poly [(2, 3-dibutoxy)-1,4- poly (phenylene vinylene)] 1 which can be prepared using the dehydrohalogenation method with base (potassium tert-butoxide). The resultant polymer has high molecular weight and its alkyl chains enable solubility in organic solvents such as chloroform and tetrachloroethane. Surprisingly, the solid film fluoresces with high efficiency (absolute PL efficiency 40%) in the yellow green region despite having alkoxy substituents. The present invention also concerns a further embodiment relating to the polymer 2. In addition to its emissive properties in PL and EL devices it has the potential to serve as a component of a sensor owing to its affinity for metal ions.

In a further embodiment, the invention extends to the fluorescent oligomer 9 which has been synthesised using the Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of a dialkoxybenzyl bisphosphonate 8 and dialkoxy-benzaldehyde 7. Evidence for the origin of the blue-shifted emission and possible high fluorescence efficiency comes from the single crystal X-ray study of 9 which shows that the aromatic rings are twisted in a notable manner, thus resulting in the disruption of the effective conjugation length of the polymer backbone. The localisation of the conjugation could also be due to the cisoid-like disposition of the styryl substituents in 9 (see Figure 1).

Scheme 1: Structure of the poly [(2, 3-dibutoxy)-1, 4-poly (phenylene vinylene)] (PDB-PPV) 1 and the crown ether analogue 2 The crown ether analogue 2 is also fluorescent. It can be prepared as shown in Scheme 2 below: CH3 CH2Br, ~\ CH3 TsOCH2 (CH20CH2) 3CH20Ts zozo /NaOH, TF', reffwc (42%)/ O OH 2. NBS, CC1, reflux (57%). 0 O CH3 AH2Br \/ 4 10 ° O O KOtBu, THF QO O) (58%) 2 2 Scheme 2: Preparation of 15C5 crown ether 2 As the polymer 2 is also luminescent it can be used advantageously in light emitting electrochemical devices and other devices where chelation of various metal ions, preferably lithium, can lead to ionically doped materials fabricated out of a homogeneous phase rather than from a blend of more than one polymer which may phase-separate. Such doping can lead to reduced barriers for charge injection into the emissive layers. Statistical copolymers derived from dehydrohalogenation condensation polymerisation of the building block 10 with either the DMOS precursor 11 or the dibutoxy precursor 6 afford efficient devices (Scheme 3). The ratio of m: n may range from 10: 1 to 1: 10, preferably ca. 1: 1. CH2Br r-\ o /O CH2Br CH2Br/ Br Bu ber Br Br bu Monomer 6 Monomer 11 KOtBu, THF KOtBu, TI (350/o) (76%) 0 0 0 O O to b o 4H9 C4H \ oc Hg r- m \/ m/ zon m 12 13 Scheme 3: Statistical copolymers 12 and 13 Two layer devices were fabricated using 1 as follows. A layer of a PPV precursor polymer, fabricated according to a sulphonium precursor route ["Precursor route chemistry and electronic properties of poly (p-phenylene vinylene), poly (2,5-dimethyl-p-phenylene vinylene) and poly (2,5- dimethoxy-p-phenylene vinylene)"P. L. Burn, D. D. C. Bradley, R. H. Friend, D. A. Halliday, A. B. Holmes, R. W. Jackson and A. Kraft, J. Chem. Soc. Perkirz Trans. 1,1992,3225-3231], was spin-coated onto a glass plate coated with ITO and thermally converted to PPV. In the other type of bilayer device, a transporting layer of PVK was spin-coated from solution directly onto ITO.

Next, a layer of the polymer poly [(2, 3-dibutoxy)-1,4-poly (phenylene vinylene)] (PDB-PPV) 1 was spin-coated onto the PPV layer followed by a layer of aluminium or calcium deposited under vacuum onto the polymer layer. Contacts were attached and a connection made to a DC power source. Application of a forward bias voltage resulted in emission of yellow-green light with an emission maximum at about 2.3 eV (ca. 550 nm), and a brightness in excess of 4,500 cd/m2.

Internal efficiencies of about 1.5% were observed with calcium as the cathode.

Based on the illustrative examples it is evident that highly efficient devices can be obtained by the dehydrohalogenation route to prepare adjacent substituted arylene vinylene polymers, such as vinylene polymers from monomers carrying aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, and branched alkyl substituents linked either by carbon or heteroatom linkages to the aromatic backbone of the polymer.

The adjacent substituents can be selected from H, R, RO-, RS-, and RR'N-, where R=CsHll, C6HI3, C7Hl5 or C8H17, etc. and branched derivatives thereof, and aryl (Ar) where Ar = aryl or heteroaryl or fused derivatives thereof. Preferable substituents are those which solubilise the final polymer. These include branched alkyl, aralkyl and the corresponding alkoxy derivatives. The most preferred substituent is the butyloxy, and other preferred substituents are ethylhexyl (oxy) and 3'j7'-dimethyloctyl (oxy). Other carbon chains such as alkyl or alkoxy substituents carrying up to ten carbon atoms and branching substituents are advantageous. Such substituents could be selected in any combination, and are not limited to those listed.

Similar effects can be achieved with any conjugated polyarylenevinylene polymer or other conjugated polymer (polyfluorene, polythienylene, polynaphthalene, polyphenylene, polypyridine, polyquinoline, polyquinoxaline, poly [thienylene-co-phenylene] etc.) or a. copolymer arising from a fluorescent unit carrying a distyrylbenzene fragment with the 2,3-disubstitution at least on the aromatic rings. The preferred polymers arise from poly (arylene vinylene) conjugated units carrying an adjacent disubstitution pattern. Most preferably, 2,3-disubstituted bishalomethylbenzene derivatives serve as starting monomers for the conjugate polymer products.

The preferred synthesis involves dehydrohalogenation condensation polymerisation using potassium t-butoxide as a base in various solvents such as tetrahydrofuran or dioxane. The resulting polymer is solution processible and has a good film forming property for polymer electroluminescent devices. Polymers for 1,4-bis (halomethylbenzene) monomers have been disclosed in US 5,558,904. These afforded insoluble polymers. The adjacent disubstitution in the present invention is achieved owing to the method of synthesis of the polymer, and leads to a product polymer that is solution processible, and having a surprising florescence emission wavelength and efficiency.

Previous examples with a 2,3-diphenyl (diaryl) substitution pattern as disclosed in US 5,558,904 would not be expected to demonstrate these features, based on the lack of solubility of the final polymer. This is disclosed in detail in H. Antoniadis et al., Polym. Adv. Tech., 1997,8,392. In that case solution processibility required the use of a precursor route to allow processing and generation of the final polymer.

Examples A method of preparing the conjugated polymer PDB-PPV 1 involves the preparation of the monomer of formula Br-CH2-Ar-CH2-Br which is subjected to polymerisation with six equivalents of base (potassium tert-butoxide preferably in THF or dioxane) to give the desired polymer, which is soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform and tetrachloroethane. The synthesis of the polymer is shown in scheme 4 below: H CH3 CH3 N O g4OH i-PrOH g4OH reflux, 3 0 min 0 OH 67% OH CH2 N 0 3 "0 3 CH3 CH3 Pd(OH) 2/C, C S K2C03, C4H9Br, S < EtOH, reflux, 72 hr OH ETOR reflux 24 hr 59%O g3% CH3 CH3 4 5 CH2Br \n S/ NBS, CC4 S 4 9 KOtBu, THF >=< 57% OC4H9 40% OC4H9 H2Br n 6 1 Scheme 4: Preparation of PBD PPV 1 Example I: Preparation of monomer 6 Methyl catechol derivative 3 was synthesised by performing a Mannich reaction with formaldehyde and morpholine following the method described by Helgeson et al. (J Am. Chem. Soc., 1997,99,6411). Transfer hydrogenation using palladium hydroxide on carbon to remove the morpholine group in the presence of a hydrogen donor (Hanessian et al., Synthesis, 1981,118, 396) subsequently produced the dimethyl catechol 4 in reasonable yield (59%). O-alkylation was then carried out using a copious excess of potassium carbonate and dibutyl bromide to give a reasonably high yield (83%) of dialkoxy-xylene 5. Radical bromination of the xylene with a slight excess of N-bromosuccinimide in carbon tetrachloride as given in Gruter et al, J Org. Chem., 59, 4473 gave the monomer 6 in comparatively high yield (57%).

Example 2 : Preparation of polymer I A degassed solution of the monomer 6 (0.24 g, 0.6mmol) in dry TE (16 cm3) was added slowly over 20 min to a degassed solution of potassium tert-butoxide (0.41 g, 3.6 mmol) in dry THF (16 cm3) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 18 h, after which it was poured into methanol. The resultant yellow precipitate was collected by filtration and re-precipitated into methanol. The polymer 1 was collected as a bright yellow solid (60 mg, 40%).

Found: C, 76.6; H, 9.1; Br, 0; [Cl6H2202n requires C, 78.0; H, 9.0; Br, 0 %<BR> GPC assay in CHCl3 revealedMw 2,120,000, M, 361,000 andMwGn 5 9;<BR> 7v", (CHCI3)/nm 444; 7v,", (film)/nm 450; PL emission (max)/nm 551 (2.25 eV); PL efficiency 40 %; EL emission (max)/eV 2.28.

Example 3 : Fabricatiosw of a 2-layer LED with polymer 1 A film of PPV (ca. 100 nm in thickness was prepared by spin-coating a solution of a sulphonium precursor polymer onto a glass plate coated with indium tin oxide and thermally converting the film at 230°C in vacuum for 6h. A 1% (w/v) solution of the polymer 1 in chloroform was spin- coated on top of the converted PPV film to give a uniform film of about 100 nm thick. The structures were placed on top of a mask, permitting the deposition of aluminium or calcium on the coated film surface inside a metal evaporator. Metal layers were of typically 500-1000 A in thickness. Metal contacts were then attached to the electrodes and connected to a DC source.

The active device area was typically 4 mm2.

The bilayer device (ITO/PPV/PDB-PPV/Ca) shows maximum efficiency 1.5 % with luminance in excess of 4,500 cd/m2 with turn-on voltage at 9V. A bilayer device was also constructed with PVK as the hole-transporting layer produced a maximum efficiency of 0.6% with Al cathodes.

Example 4 : Preparation of the model oligomer 9 MeO OMe MeO OMe \/\ \/ Chu =-i /OMe + (t BuOK' uOMe CH2 toluene, reflux ? g C ORME CH2 P V (U) (OEtk 2 9 7 8 9 Scheme 5: Preparation of dialkoxy-substituted oligomer 9 <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 9 is obtained as pale green crystals, m. p. 80-81; x (CHCI ?) 362 nm, (film) 366 nm; blue-green<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> fluorescence, PL max (film) 2.6 eV A mixture of the 2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 7 (0.33 g, 2.0 mmol) and 1.4- [ (2,3-dibutoxy) xylylene]-bis (diethylphosphonate) 8 (0.52 g, 1.0 mmol) in toluene (10 cm3) was stirred and heated to ca. 100°C under an atmosphere of nitrogen. Potassium tert-butoxide (0.35 g, 3.0 mmol) was added all at once into the hot mixture resulting in a colour change to orange-brown. The mixture was then heated to reflux for 4 h. After allowing to cool to room temperature, toluene was added (20 cm3) followed by hydrolysis with acetic acid (10% aq., 20 cm3). The organic layer was separated, washed with water until the organic layer tested neural. The organic fraction was the dried, followed by removal of the solvent under reduced pressure to yield a yellow oil. The product 9 was isolated by column chromatography (9: 1 hexane: diethyl ether v/v) and further purified by recrystallisation from methanol to give greenish-white needles (0.35 g, 64%).

M. p. 80.0-81.0°C; #H (250 MHz; CDCl3) 7.49-7.47 (6H, m, Ar-H & CH=CH), 7. 30-7.26 (2H, m, ArHa), 7.08 (2H, t, J 8.0, ArHb), 6.86-6.83 (2H, m, ArHc), 4.04 (4H, t, J 6.6, ArOCH2), 3.89-3.87 (12H, m, ArOCH3), 1.88-1.77 (4H, m, CH2), 1.64-1.49 (4H, m, CH2), 1.00 (6H, t, J 7.2, CH3); 8c (63.5 MHz; CDC13) 153.1 (C, Ar), 150.6 (C, Ar), 147.1 (C, Ar), 132.0 (C, Ar), 131.7 (C, Ar), 124.2 (CH, Ar), 124.1 (CH, Ar), 123.4 (CH, Ar), 121.0 (CH, Ar), 117.9 (CH, Ar), 111.3 (CH, Ar), 73.7 (OCH2), 61.1 (OCH2), 55.8 (OCH2), 32.4 (CH2), 19.4 (CH2), 14.0 (CH3); m/z (CI) 547 (MH+, 75%), 402 (10), 166 (40), 72 (C4HsO, 60), 52 (C4H4,70); Found (MH+) C34H4206 requires 546.2981; Found: C, 74.7; H, 7.8; C34H42O6 requires C, 74.7; H, 7.8 %; Anax (CHCI3/nm) 366; t ax (film/nm) 362;<BR> PLmaX (film/nm) 477; PL efficiency (solid state) ca. 80%.

The X-ray structure of the oligomer 9 (see Figure 1) shows an unusual cisoid-like conformation around the trans-vinylene bond. The benzene rings are twisted out of the plane of the vinylene linkage by about 15° and the benzene rings in turn are twisted at a 30° angle from one another in a regular pattern. This twist will eventually cause an interruption in the polymer backbone conjugation after every 4 benzene rings. The oligomer shows high PL efficiency (ca. 88%) in the solid state.

Synthesis of Monomers 3,6-Dimethylbenzo-I5-crown-5, 14 To a solution of dimethyl catechol 4 (2.5 g, 18 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran (110 cm3) under a nitrogen atmosphere was added sodium hydroxide (1.44 g, 36 mmol). The mixture was left stirring for a hour, and a solution of tetraethyleneglycol-di-p-tosylate (9.05 g, 18 mmol) in trtrahydrofuran (50 cm3) was added in dropwise over 30 min. The mixture was refluxed for 22 h.

The mixture was cooled, the solvent removed and the residue taken up in dichloromethane (200 cm3). The organic layer was extracted with water (3 x 100 cm3) and dried over MgS04. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure to yield a brown crude. The benzo crown ether was isolated by flash column chromatography (hexane followed by 9: 1 hexane: ethyl acetate v/v) to yield the ether 14 as a colourless oil (2.2 g, 41%). Rf 0. 25 (6: 4 hexane: ethyl acetate v/v ; v,,, x (KBr)/cm-'2860,1580, (Ar), 1281,1134,1081 (C-O); 5H (400 MHz: CDCl3) 6.79 (2H, s, Ar-H), 4.11 (2 x 2H, t, J 5.2, Ar-OCH2), 3.96 (2 x 2H, t, J 5.2, ArO-CH2CH2), 3.74 (4 x 2H, m, OCH2), 2.22 (6H, s, ArCH3); 8c (400 MHz; CDC13) 150.6 (C, Ar), 150.6 (C, Ar), 129.8 (C, Ar), 129.8 (C, Ar), 125.4 (CH, Ar), 125.4 (CH, Ar), 71.9 (CH2), 71.9 (CH2), 71.1 (CH2), 71.1 (CH2), 70.6 (CH2), 70.6 (CH2), 70.3 (CH2), 70.3 (CH2), 15.8 (CH3), 15.8 (CH3); n/ (CI) 297 (nez, 20%), 244 (5), 164 (10); Found (MH+) 297.1702; Ci6H240s requires 296,1624; Found: C, 64.4; H, 8.1; C, 6H2405 requires C, 64.8; H, 8.2 % 103,6-Bis(bromomethyl)-benzo-15-crown-5, A mixture of the benzo-crown ether 14 (1.77 g, 5.97 mmol), N-bromosuccinimide (2.18g, 12.2 mmol) and benzol peroxide (0.14 g, 0.6 mmol) in carbon tetrachloride (50 cm3) was heated to reflux for 5 h after which the succinimide had floated to the surface of the solvent mixture. After allowing to cool to room temperature, the mixture was filtered through Celtes and washed with ether. The filtrate was collected and the solvent removed under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up in ether (100 cm3) and the organic layer extracted with water (2 x 50 cm3). The organic fraction was dried over MgSO4 and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to produce the crude product as an orange-coloured solid. Recrystallisation from boiling hexane yielded the bis bromomethyl product 10 as a colourless solid 10 (0.56 g, 21 %). M. p.

Rf 0.32 (6: 4 hexane: ethyl acetate v/v); v", ax (neat)/crrl'2875,1451 (Ar), 1287,1146,1057 (C-O), 677 (C-Br); #H, (250 MHz; CDCl3) 7.09 (2H, s, Ar-H), 4.53 (4H, s, CH2Br), 4.33 (4H, t, J 5.0, ArOCH2), 4.00 (4H, t, J 5.0, ArOCH2CH2), 3.75 (8H, m, OCH2); 8c (100 MHz; CDC13) 150.9 (C, Ar), 150.9 (C, Ar), 133.4 (C, Ar), 133.4 (C, Ar), 126.1 (CH, Ar), 126.1 (CH, Ar), 72.6 (CH2), 72.6 (CH2), 71.1 (CH2), 71.1 (CH2), 70.4 (CH2), 70.4 (CH2), 27.7 (CH2), 27.7 (CH2); nil.- (CI) 470 (M+NH4+, 58 %), 390 (5), 312 (12), 44 (15); Found (M+NH4+) 470.0178; Cl6H220sBr2 requires 451.9835; Found: C, 42.5; H, 4.8; Br, 35.2; Ci6H2205Br2 requires C, 42.5; H, 4.9, Br 34.9 % 15C5-PPV,2 A degassed solution of KO'Bu (0.1 g, 0.88 mmol) in dry THF (16 cm3) was added slowly over 20 min to a degassed solution of the dibromide monomer 10 (0.2 g, 0.44 mmol) in dry THF (16 cm3) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature under nitrogen for 18 h, after which it was poured into methanol (600 cm3) with stirring. The resultant yellow precipitate was collected, washed with methanol and dried in vacuo. The polymer was re-dissolved in minimum CHC13 and re-precipitated into methanol (600 cm3). The solid was <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> collected through filtration and dried in vacuum to afford the polymer 9 as an orange solid (75 mg, 58%). v (film)/cm''2925, 2867, 1492 (Ar), 1285,1133 (C-0), 938 (trans-vinylene);<BR> #H (400 MHz; CDCl3) 7.50-7.25 (2H, br m, conjugated unit), 4.25 (4H, br m, ArOCH2), 4.05 (4H, br m, ArOCH2CH2) 3.80 (8H, br m, OCH2) ; 5c (100 MHz; CDC13) 5,121.0 (C, conjugated aromatic carbons), 5,70.5 (crown ether CH2) (conjugated units not visible using 8,000 scans); Found: C, 62.6; H, 6.8; Br, 1.4; [C16H20O5] requires C, 65.7; H, 6.9; Br, 0 %.

GPC assay in CHCl3 revealed M", 10.7 X l06, Mn 126 x 103 and Mw/Mn 84 ;<BR> Lx (film)/nm 442.

Synthesis of Copolymers copolymer,1215C5-DBPPV A degassed solution of KOtBu (0.26 g, 2.2 mmol) in dry THF (40 cm3) was added slowly over 20 min to a degassed solution of a mixture of monomers, bis (bromomethyl)-benzo-15-crown-5 monomer 10 (0.2 g, 0.44 mmol) and (bromomethyl). benzene 6 (0.18 g, 0.44 mmol) in dry THF (40 cm3) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was left stirring at ambient temperature under nitrogen for 6 h, and poured into methanol (500 cm3) with stirring. <BR> <BR> <BR> <P>The resultant orange precipitate was collected, washed with methanol and dried in vacuo. The polymer was re-dissolved in minimum CHCl3 and re-precipitated into methanol (500 cm3). The solid was collected through filtration and dried in vacuum to afford the polymer as a bright orange solid (0.15 g, 35 %).

2956,2869,1436(Ar),1283,1135(C-O),974(trans-vinylene);#ma x(film)/cm-1 8H (400MHz; CDCl3) 7.49-7.45 (H-conjugated units), 4.22-3.73 (20H, m, br, OCH2 & ArOCH2), 1.84-1.57 (8H, m. br, CH2), 1.03-0.99 (6H, m, br, CH3); m: n ratio determined by'H NMR to be approximately 1: 1; Found C, 70.0; H, 7.8; Br, 0.9; [C32H42071,, requires C, 71.4; H, 7.8; Br, 0%; GPC assay in CHCl3 revealed Mw 2.7 x 106 Mn 24 x 103 and MwlM"110; #max#max(film)/nm452.442; copolymer,1315C5-DMOSPPV A degassed solution of KO'Bu (0.16 g, 1.3 mmol) in dry THF (12 cm3) was added slowly over 20 min to a degassed solution of a mixture of monomers, 10 (0.14 g, 0.3 mmol) and 2-methyloctylsilyl-1,4-bis (bromomethyl) benzene 11 (0.13 g, 0.3 mmol) in dry THF (13 cm3) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was left stirring at ambient temperature under nitrogen for 8 h, after which it was poured into methanol (200 cm3) with stirring. The resultant orange <BR> <BR> <BR> precipitate was collected, washed with methanol and dried irr vacuo. The polymer was re-dissolved in minimum CHC13 and re-precipitated into methanol (200 cm3). The solid was collected through filtration and dried in vacuo to afford the polymer as a right orange solid (0.13g, 76%).

#max (film)/cm-1 2923, 2856,1459 (Ar), 1283,1137 (C-O), 937 (trans-vinylene); 8H (400 MHz; CDCl3) 7.67-6.95 (9H, m, br, H-conjugated unit), 4.22 (4H, s, br, ArOCH2), 4.05 (4H, s, br, ArOCH2CH2), 3.79 (8H, s, br, OCH2), 1.31-1.22 (12H, m. br, CH2), 0.88 (5H, m, br, CH2CH3), 0. 43-0.36 (6H, m, br, CH3); m: n ratio determined by 1H NMR to be approximately 1: 1; Found C, 71.4; H, 8.3; Br, 1.9; [C34H48O5Si]n requires C, 72.3; H, 8.6; Br, 0%; GPC assay in CHCl3 revealed Mw 286 x 103 Mon 37 x 103 and Mw/Mn 7.7; Lc (CHCl3)/nm 434; Lx (film)/nm 442.

The PL efficiency and the EL efficiency of the copolymers 12 and 13 and the corresponding efficiencies of DMOS-PPV and 1 are shown in Table 1 below. In particular, the electroluminescence efficiency of 12 and 13 is high, whilst these copolymers still have good photoluminescenceefficiencies.

Table 1: Summary of efficiency data for the polymers 12 and 13 in comparison with DMOS-PPV and DB-PPV 1. Polymer PL efficiencya (%) EL internal quantum efficiencyb (Cd/A) 15C5-DB PPV 12 38 0.35 15C5-DMOS PPV 13 48 0.3 DMOS-PPV 60 not available DB-PPV 1400. 015 ameasurements made on films bmeasurements made on ITO/polymer/AI devices, thickness 100-200 nm.

References US 3,401,152, Wessling et al.

US 5,558,904, Hsieh et al.

US 5,189,136, Wudl, F.

J. H. Burroughes et al., Nature, 1990,365,47.

H. G. Gilch et al., J. Poly. Sci. 1-A, 1966,4,1337.

B. R. Hsieh et al., Adv. Mater., 1995,7,36.

WO 95/32526, Staring & Demandt H. Antoniadis et al., Poly. Adv. Tech., 1997,8,392