Electrically conducting polymers: a review of the electropolymerization reaction, of the effects of chemical structure on polymer film properties, and of applications towards technology

The electrochemical oxidation of aromatic heterocyclic compounds thiophene, pyrrole, and indole and benzenoid and nonbenzenoid polycyclic hydrocarbons azulene, fluorene, and pyrene yield electrically conducting polymers with conductivities of 10⁻⁵–10 S/cm. The presence of substituents affects the electrical conductivity of these films and also their electroactive properties. Furthermore, substituents determine whether electropolymerization of these compounds can occur or whether soluble products are formed. The relative importance of these pathways is dependent on the stability of the intermediate radical cation. These effects are investigated by INDO molecular orbital calculations.