Electroactive fluorene copolymers and devices made with such polymers

1. A copolymer comprising at least one first monomeric unit and at least one second monomeric unit, wherein the at least one first monomeric unit has Formula I or Ia and the at least one second monomeric unit is selected from fused ring aromatic groups having Formulae IX trough Formula XI,

where:

in each of Formulae I and IX through XI:

R is a substituent on a carbon atom which can be the same or different at each occurence and is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, heteroaryl, F, —CN, —OR 1 , —CO 2 R 1 , —C ψ H θ F λ , —OC ψ H θ F λ , —SR 1 , —N(R 1 ) 2 , —P(R 1 ) 2, —SOR 1, —SO 2 R 1 , —NO 2, and beta-dicarbonyls having Formula XII

and as further described below under “Formula XII”; or

adjacent R groups together can form a 5- or 6-membered cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl ring,

such that:

R 1 is a substituent on a heteroatom which can be the same or different at each occurrence and is selected from alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl and heteroaryl; and

ψ is an integer between 1 and 20, and θ and λ are integers satisfying Equation A1 below:

θ+λ=2ψ+1;  (Equation A1);

in Formula IX:

E can be the same or different at each occurrence and is a single bond or a linking group selected from arylene and heteroarylene; and

a first E is in the 2, 3, or 4 position; on a second E is in the 7, 8, or 9 position; and

in Formula XII:

R 2 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl and heteroaryl;

δ is 0 or an integer from 1 to 12.

2. The copolymer of claim 1 , wherein R groups in one or more of the at least one first monomeric unit are independently selected from alkyl groups having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; heteroalkyl groups having 1–30 carbon atoms and one or more heteroatoms of S, N, or O; aryl groups having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and heteroaryl groups having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and one or more heteroatomas of S, N, or O.

3. The copolymer of claim 1 that excludes any vinylene monomeric units.

4. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein each R group in each of Formula 1 , Formula IX, Formula X, and Formula XI is selected from:

hydrogen;

alkyl;

aryl;

heteroalkyl;

heteroaryl;

F;

—CN;

—P(R 1 ) 2 and —SOR 1 , where R 1 is a substituent on a heteroatom which can be the same or different at each occurrence and is selected from alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl and heteroaryl;

—NO 2 ;

a beta-dicarbonyl having Fonnula XII;

—C ψ H θF λ ;

—OC ψ H θ F λ ;

—OR 1, —CO 2 R 1, —SR 1, —N(R 1 ) 2, and —SO 2 R 1 where R 1 is a straight chain or branched alkyl of more than 20 carbons or a straight chain or branched heteroalkyl.

5. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the R groups in one or more of the at least one first monomeric unit is independently selected from linear and branched n-butyl groups; linear and branched iso-butyl groups; linear and branched pentyl groups; hexyl groups, and octyl groups with and without olefinic unsaturation; phenyl groups, thiophene group; carbazole groups, alkoxy groups, phenoxy groups and cyano groups.

6. The copolyrner of claim 1 wherein at least one of the R groups in one or more of the at least one first monomeric unit are independently selected from H, C 6 –C 12 alkoxy, phenoxy, C 6 –C 12 alkyl, phenyl and cyano.

7. The copolymer of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least one second monomeric unit has one of Formulae IX through XI wherein:

R groups are selectd from H, C 6 –C 12 alkyl groups, C 6 –C 20 aryl groups, and C 2 –C 20 heteroaryl groups.

8. An electronic device comprising at least one electroactive layer comprising the copolymer of claim 1 .

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device comprises a hole injection/transport layer comprising the copolymer of claim 1 .

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device comprises an electron injection/transport layer comprising the copolymer of claim 1 .

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the electroactive layer comprises a light-emitting material comprising the copolymer of claim 1 .

12. The copolymer of claim 1 , further comprising end-capping groups comprising an aromatic group.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device is selected from a light-emitting device, a photodetector, and a photovoltaic device.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device is an electroluminescent display.