Conjugated polymers containing spirobifluorene units and the use thereof

1. A conjugated polymer comprising units of the formula (I)

together with one or more units selected from the following groups:

group 1: units which significantly increase the hole injection or transport properties of the polymers;

group 2: units which significantly increase the electron injection or transport properties of the polymers;

group 3: units which comprise combinations of individual units of group 1 and group 2;

group 4: units which alter the emission characteristics so that phosphorescence can be obtained instead of fluorescence;

wherein

X is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case CH, CR 1 or N,

Z is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case a single chemical bond, a CR 3 R 4 group, a —CR 3 R 4 —CR 3 R 4 — group, a —CR 3 ═CR 4 — group, O, S, N—R 5 , C═O, C═CR 3 R 4 or SiR 3 R 4 ;

R 1 is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy chain which has from 1 to 22 carbon atoms and in which one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, O—CO—O, where one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine, or is an aryl or aryloxy group which has from 5 to 40 carbon atoms and in which one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, which is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 , or is Cl, F, CN, N(R 5 ) 2 , N(R 5 ) 3 + , where two or more radicals R 1 together form a ring system;

R 2 is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy chain which has from 1 to 22 carbon atoms and in which one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, O—CO—O, where one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine, or is an aryl or aryloxy group which has from 5 to 40 carbon atoms and in which one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N which is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 , or is CN;

R 3 and R 4 are identical or different on each occurrence and are each H, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl chain which has from 1 to 22 carbon atoms and in which one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, O—CO—O, where one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine, or are each an aryl group which has from 5 to 40 carbon atoms and in which one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, which is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 , or are each CN; where a plurality of adjacent radicals R 3 and/or R 4 may together also form a ring;

R 5 is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case H, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl chain which has from 1 to 22 carbon atoms and in which one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S, —CO—O—, O—CO—O, where one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine, or is an aryl group which has from 5 to 40 carbon atoms and in which one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, which is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ;

m is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case 0, 1, 2, or 3;

n is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

with the proviso that repeating units of the formula (I) and units of groups 1 to 4 together make up at least 40% of all repeating units in the polymer and that the ratio of repeating units of the formula (I) to the sum of those of groups 1 to 4 is in the range from 20:1 to 1:2;

wherein the units of group 1 are selected from among the units of the formulae (II) to (XIX):

wherein

R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , n, and m

are as defined for units of the formula (I);

A 1 , A 2 , and Ar 3

are, identically or differently on each occurrence, aromatic or

heteroaromatic hydrocarbons having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms and are optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; and

o is 1, 2, or 3; and

wherein the units of group 2 are selected from among the units of the formulae (XX) to (XXX):

wherein

R 1 , m, and n

are as defined for units of the formula (I); and

p is 0, 1 or 2.

2. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the units of group 3 are selected from among units of the formulae (XXXI) to (XXXXVI),

where the symbols Ar 1 , R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , Z and the indices m, n and p are as defined under the formula (I) and

o is 1, 2 or 3, and

p is 0, 1 or 2.

3. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the units of group 4 are selected from among units of the formulae (XXXXVII) to (XXXXX),

where the symbols R 1 , R 3 and the indices m and n are as defined under the formula (I) and

M is Rh or Ir

XX corresponds to the point of linkage in the polymer, and

YY is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case O, S or Se.

4. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises both structural units of the formula (I) and at least two groups selected from groups 1 to 4.

5. A polymer as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that both structural units of the formula (I) and further units of groups 1 and 2, or 1 and 3, or 1 and 4, or 2 and 3, or 2 and 4, or 3 and 4 are present.

6. A polymer as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that both structural units of the formula (I) and further structures from groups 1 and 2 and 3, or 1 and 2 and 4, or 2 and 3 and 4 are present.

7. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein more than one structural unit from a group are simultaneously present.

8. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein X=C—H or C—R 1 .

9. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein Z represents a single chemical bond.

10. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

R 1 is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy chain having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or is an aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, which are also substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ;

n are identical or different and are each 1 or 2.

11. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

R 1 is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy chain having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or is an aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, which are also substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ;

n are identical or different and are each 1 or 2.

12. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , which further comprises at least one additional aromatic or other conjugated structure which does not come under groups 1 to 4.

13. A polymer as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the polymer comprises aromatic structures having from 6 to 40 carbon atoms or stilbene or bisstyrylarylene derivatives which is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 .

14. A polymer as claimed in claim 12 , wherein 1,4-phenylene, 1,4-naphthylene, 1,4- or 9,10-anthracenylene, 1,6- or 2,7- or 4,9-pyrene, 3,9- or 3,10-perylene, 2,7- or 3,6-phenanthrene, 4,4′-biphenylene, 4,4″-terphenylene, 4,4′-bi-1,1′-naphthylene, 4,4′-stilbene or 4,4″-bisstyrylarylene derivatives are incorporated.

15. A PLED having one or more active layers of which at least one comprises one or more novel polymers as claimed in claim 1 .

16. An electronic component (device) comprising one or more polymers as claimed in claim 1 .

17. An organic integrated circuit (O-IC), organic field effect transistor (OFET), organic thin film transistor (OTFT), organic solar cell (O-SC) or organic laser diode (O-laser), characterized in that it comprises one or more polymers as claimed in claim 1 .

18. A solution comprising one or more polymers as claimed in claim 1 .

19. A polymer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein both structural units of the formula (I) and further units of the formulae (II) to (V)

and units of the formulae (XXIV) or (XXVI) to (XXX) are present.

20. A polymer as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

o is 1 or 2 and

p is 0 or 1.

21. A conjugated polymer of claim 1 , wherein said conjugated polymer consists essentially of units of the formula (I) with the proviso that repeating units of the formula (I) and units of groups 1 to 4 together make up at least 80% of all repeating units in the polymer and that the ratio of repeating units of the formula (I) to the sum of those of groups 1 to 4 is in the range from 20:1 to 1:2 and wherein the units of group 1 are selected from among the units of the formulae (II) to (XIX),

where the symbols R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 and the indices n and m are as defined under the formula (I) in claim 1 and

Ar 1 , Ar 2 , Ar 3 are identical or different on each occurrence and are aromatic or heteroaromatic hydrocarbons which have from 2 to 40 carbon atoms and is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ;

o is 1, 2 or 3 and

wherein the units of group 2 are selected from among units of the formulae (XX) to (XXX),

where the symbols R 1 and indices m and n are as defined under the formula (I) in claim 1 and

p is 0, 1, or 2, and

wherein the units of group 3 are selected from among units of the formulae (XXXI) to (XXXXVI),

where the symbols Ar 1 , R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , Z and the indices m, n and p are as defined under the formula (I) in claim 1 and

o is 1, 2 or 3, and

p is 0, 1 or 2; and

wherein the units of group 4 are selected from among units of the formulae (XXXXVII) to (XXXXX),

where the symbols R 1 , R 3 and the indices m and n are as defined under the formula (I) and

M is Rh or r

XX corresponds to the point of linkage in the polymer, and

YY is identical or different on each occurrence and is in each case O, S or Se.

22. A conjugated polymer comprising at least 3 different units, at least one of which is of the formula (I)

and

at least one of which is selected from the following groups:

group 1: units which significantly increase the hole injection or transport properties of the polymers;

group 2: units which significantly increase the electron injection or transport properties of the polymers;

group 3: units which comprise combinations of individual units of group 1 and group 2;

group 4: units which alter the emission characteristics so that phosphorescence can be obtained instead of fluorescence; wherein

X is, identically or differently on each occurrence, CH, CR 1 , or N;

Z is, identically or differently on each occurrence, a single chemical bond, a CR 3 R 4 group, a —CR 3 R 4 —CR 3 R 4 group, a —CR 3 ═CR 4 — group, O, S, N—R 5 , C═O, C═CR 3 R 4 , or SiR 3 R 4 ;

R 1 is, identically or differently on each occurrence, a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy chain having up to 22 carbon atoms, wherein one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, or O—CO—O, and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine; or is an aryl or aryloxy group having from 5 to 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, and is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; or is Cl, F, CN, N(R 5 ) 2 , or N(R 5 ) 3 + ; and wherein two or more radicals R 1 optionally define a ring system;

R 2 is, identically on each occurrence, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy chain having up to 22 carbon atoms, wherein one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, or O—CO—O, and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine; or is an aryl or aryloxy group having from 5 to 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N and is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; or is CN;

R 3 and R 4 are, identically or differently on each occurrence, H, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl chain having up to 22 carbon atoms, wherein one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by N—R 5 , O, S, —CO—O—, or O—CO—O, and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine; or are each an aryl group having from 5 to 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, and is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; or are each CN; and wherein a plurality of adjacent radicals R 3 and/or R 4 optionally define a ring;

R 5 it is, identically or differently on each occurrence, H, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl chain having up to 22 carbon atoms, wherein one or more nonadjacent carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S, —CO—O—, or O—CO—O, and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by fluorine; or is an aryl group having from 5 to 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms is optionally replaced by O, S or N, and is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ;

m is, identically or differently on each occurrence, 0, 1, 2, or 3;

n is, identically or differently on each occurrence, 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

with the proviso that repeating units of the formula (I) and units of groups 1 to 4 together make up at least 40% of all repeating units in the polymer and that the ratio of repeating units of the formula (I) to the sum of those of groups 1 to 4 is in the range from 20:1 to 1:2.