Electroluminescent devices having pendant naphthylanthracene-based polymers

1. A naphthylanthracene-based polymer comprising a repeating unit of the formula

wherein:

Ar is an aryl or substituted aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or a heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms;

R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are the same or different, and are each individually hydrogen, or alkyl, or alkenyl, or alkynyl, or alkoxy, or amino, or thioalkyl, or carboxyl, or carbonyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, amino, thioalkyl, carboxy, or carbonyl can have from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; or aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms; or F, or Cl, or Br; or a cyano group; or a nitro group, or a sulfonate group; and

L is a direct bond between naphthylanthracene and polymer backbone or a carbon linking group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms or a non-carbon linking group.

2. The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polymer backbone includes a vinyl polymer backbone, polyether, polythioether, polyamine, polyacetylene, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polysulfone, polyimide, polyamide, polyurea, poly(ether ketone), polyester, polyketone, polysiloxane, polyarene, poly(arylene vinylene), or poly(arylene acetylene).

3. The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polymer backbone is a vinyl polymer backbone, a poly(arylene vinylene), or a polyarene.

4. The polymer of claim 1 wherein Ar is a phenyl or a substituted phenyl, a naphthyl or a substituted naphthyl, a biphenyl or a substituted biphenyl, a fluorene or a substituted fluorene, or a thiophene or a substituted thiophene.

5. An electroluminescent device includes an anode, a spaced-apart cathode, and polymeric materials disposed between the spaced-apart anode and cathode, the polymeric materials include pendant naphthylanthracene-based polymers having a repeating unit of the formula

wherein:

Ar is an aryl or substituted aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or a heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms;

R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are the same or different, and are each individually hydrogen, or alkyl, or alkenyl, or alkynyl, or alkoxy, or amino, or thioalkyl, or carboxyl, or carbonyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, amino, thioalkyl, carboxy, or carbonyl can have from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; or aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms; or F, or Cl, or Br; or a cyano group; or a nitro group, or a sulfonate group; and

L is a direct bond between naphthylanthracene and polymer backbone or a carbon linking group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms or a non-carbon linking group.

6. The electroluminescent device of claim 5 wherein the polymer backbone includes a vinyl polymer backbone, polyether, polythioether, polyamine, polyacetylene, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polysulfone, polyimide, polyamide, polyurea, poly(ether ketone), polyester, polyketone, polysiloxane, polyarene, poly(arylene vinylene), or poly(arylene acetylene).

7. The electroluminescent device of claim 5 wherein the polymer backbone is a vinyl polymer backbone, a poly(arylene vinylene), or a polyarene.

8. The electroluminescent device of claim 5 wherein Ar is a phenyl or a substituted phenyl, a naphthyl or a substituted naphthyl, a biphenyl or a substituted biphenyl, a fluorene or a substituted fluorene, or a thiophene or a substituted thiophene.

9. A method of making an electroluminescent device, comprising:

a) providing an anode and a spaced-apart cathode; and

b) depositing a polymer between the anode and spaced-apart cathode and including a polymer having pendant naphthylanthracene-based structure represented by repeating unit of the formula

wherein:

Ar is an aryl or substituted aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or a heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms;

R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are the same or different, and are each individually hydrogen, or alkyl, or alkenyl, or alkynyl, or alkoxy, or amino, or thioalkyl, or carboxyl, or carbonyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, amino, thioalkyl, carboxy, or carbonyl can have from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; or aryl of from 6 to 60 carbon atoms; or heteroaryl of from 4 to 60 carbon atoms; or F, or Cl, or Br; or a cyano group; or a nitro group, or a sulfonate group; and

L is a direct bond between naphthylanthracene and polymer backbone or a carbon linking group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms or a non-carbon linking group.