Alkylenedioxythiophene dimers and trimers

1. Compounds represented by general formula (I),

wherein,

A is an optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkylene radical,

R is one or more identical or different, linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1 -C 18 -alkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 5 -C 12 -cycloalkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 6 -C 14 -aryl radical(s), optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl radical(s) or one or more hydroxyl radical(s),

x is an integer from 0 to 8, and

n is 0 or 1.

2. The compounds of claim 1 , wherein,

A is an optionally substituted C 2 - or C 3 -alkylene radical,

R is one or more identical or different, linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1 -C 18 -alkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 5 -C 12 -cycloalkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 6 -C 14 -aryl radical(s), optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl radical(s) or a hydroxyl radical,

x is an integer from 0 to 6, and

n is 0 or 1.

3. The compounds of claim 1 , wherein,

A is an optionally substituted C 2 - or C 3 -alkylene radical,

R is a linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1 -C 14 -alkyl radical, an optionally substituted C 1 -C 2 -hydroxyalkyl radical or a hydroxyl radical,

x is 0 or 1, and

n is 0 or 1.

4. The compounds of claim 1 , wherein said compounds have a structure selected from the group consisting of general formulae (I-a-1) and (I-b-1),

5. A process for preparing compounds represented by general formula (I),

wherein,

A is an optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkylene radical,

R is one or more identical or different, linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1 -C 18 -alkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 5 -C 12 -cycloalkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 6 -C 14 -aryl radical(s), optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl radical(s) or one or more hydroxyl radical(s),

x is an integer from 0 to 8, and

n is 0 or 1.

said method comprising,

providing compounds represented by general formula (II),

wherein,

A, R and x are each as described for formula (I), and

reacting the compounds represented by formula (II) with each other in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Lewis acids, protic acids and combinations thereof.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein said catalyst is selected from non-oxidizing Lewis acids.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein said non-oxidizing Lewis acids are selected from the group consisting of boron trihalides, aluminium trihalides, phosphorus trihalides, titanium tetrahalides, zirconium tetrahalides, tin(IV) halides, arsenic halides, antimony halides, tantalum pentahalides and zinc halides.

8. The process of claim 7 , said non-oxidizing Lewis acids are selected from the group consisting of boron trifluoride, antimony pentachloride, titanium tetrachloride and tin tetrachloride.

9. The process of claim 5 , wherein said catalyst is a protic acid selected from the group consisting of sulphonic acids, carboxylic acids and superacids.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein said protic acid is selected from the group consisting of p-toluenesulphonic acid, methanesulphonic acid, camphor-10-sulphonic acid and trifluoroacetic acid.

11. A process for preparing a polythiophene comprising polymerizing the compounds of claim 1 represented by general formula (I),

wherein said polythiophene is selected from the group consisting of neutral polythiophenes and cationic polythiophenes.

12. A process for preparing neutral or cationic polythiophenes represented by general formula (III),

wherein,

A is an optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkylene radical,

R is one or more identical or different, linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1 -C 18 -alkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 5 -C 12 -cycloalkyl radical(s), optionally substituted C 6 -C 14 -aryl radical(s), optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl radical(s) or one or more hydroxyl radical(s),

x is an integer from 0 to 8, and

m is an integer from 2 to 200,

said method comprising

(i) providing compounds represented by the following formula (I),

wherein A, R and x are as described for formula (III), and

n is 0 or 1, and

(i) polymerizing the compounds represented by formula (I), wherein the polymerization step is performed by a method selected from the group consisting of chemical polymerization, electrochemical polymerization and oxidative polymerization.

13. A process for producing parts of electrical or electronic components comprising providing the compounds of the general formula (I) according to claim 1 .

14. A process for producing a part of an electrical or electronic component comprising providing the compounds of the general formula (III) which have been prepared by the process of claim 12 .

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the part is a cathode or a capacitor.