Polymers of benzodithiophene and their use as organic semiconductors

1. A polymer of formula I

wherein

A is on each occurrence identically or differently one of the following groups

B is on each occurrence identically or differently one of the following groups

X 1 and X 2 are each S,

R 1 and R 2 are on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, —CO—R y , —CO—O—R y , or —O—CO—R y ,

R y is a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent C atoms are optionally replaced by —O—, —S—, —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CR 0 ═CR 00 — or —C≡C— and in which one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, or is aryl or heteroaryl having 2 to 30 C atoms that is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more non-aromatic groups R 5 ,

R 3 and R 4 on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, denote H, or

primary alkyl, alkoxy or thiolakyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, or secondary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 3 to 30 C atoms, or tertiary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 4 to 30 C atoms, wherein in all these groups one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, or

aryl, alkylated aryl or alkoxy aryl with 4 to 40 C atoms,

R 0 and R 00 are independently of each other H or an optionally substituted carbyl or hydrocarbyl group optionally comprising one or more hetero atoms,

Ar is benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkyl-benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxy-benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[1,2,5]selenadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 2H-benzotriazole-4,7-diyl, 2,3-dicyano-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-dicyano,1,4-phenylene, 2,3-difluro-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-difluoro,1,4-phenylene, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro,1,4-phenylene, 3,4-difluorothiophene-2,5-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-2,5-diyl, quinoxaline-5,8-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-4,6-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-6,4-diyl, or 3,6- pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione, all of which are unsubstituted, mono- or polysubstituted with halogen, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 35 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent C atoms are optionally replaced by —O—,—S—,—CO—,—CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —CR 0 ═CR 00 — or —C≡C— and in which one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, or by an aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having 2 to 40 ring atoms that is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more non-aromatic groups R 5 , and wherein “alkyl” means a straight-chain or branched alkyl group with 1 to 30 C atoms and “alkoxy” means a straight-chain or branched alkoxy group with 1 to 30 C atoms,

R 5 is on each occurrence identically or differently H, halogen, —CN, —NC, —NCO, —NCS, —OCN, —SCN, —C(═O)NR 0 R 00 , —C(═O)X 0 , —C(═O)R 0 , —NH 2 , —NR 0 R 00 , —SH, —SR 0 , —SO 3 H, —SO 2 R 0 , —OH, —NO 2 , —CF 3 , —SF 5 , or optionally substituted silyl, carbyl or hydrocarbyl with 1 to 40 C atoms that is optionally substituted and optionally comprises one or more hetero atoms,

X 0 is halogen,

m is on each occurrence identically or differently 0 or 1, wherein in at least one repeating unit m is 1,

o is on each occurrence identically or differently 0 or 1, wherein in at least one repeating unit o is 1,

i and k are on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, 0 or 1, wherein in at least one repeating unit at least one of i and k is 1, and

n is an integer >1.

2. The polymer according to claim 1 , which is of the following formula

wherein R 1-4 , A, B, Ar, i, k, m, n and o on each occurrence identically or differently have the meanings given for the polymer of formula I, and R 6 and R 7 have independently of each other one of the meanings of R 1 , or denote —CH 2 Cl, —CHO, —CH═CH 2 , —SiR′R″R″′, —SnR′R″R″′, —BR′R″, —B(OR′)(OR″), —B(OH) 2 , or P-Sp, wherein P and Sp are as defined for the polymer of formula I, R′, R″ and R′″ have independently of each other one of the meanings of H or an optionally substituted carbyl or hydrocarbyl group optionally comprising one or more hetero atoms, and R′ and R″ may also form a ring together with the hetero atom to which they are attached, and R 0 , R 00 and R 5 are as defined for the polymer of formula I.

3. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 denote —CO—R y or —CO—O—R y , wherein R y is straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, and wherein in all aforementioned groups one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F.

4. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 4 denote straight-chain or branched alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 1 to 15 C atoms, wherein one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F.

5. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 denote —CO—R y or —CO—O—R y .

6. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein

Ar is on each occurrence identically or differently benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkyl-benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxy-benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[1,2,5]selenadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 2H-benzotriazole-4,7-diyl, 2,3-dicyano-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-dicyano,1,4-phenylene, 2,3-difluro-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-difluoro,1,4-phenylene, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro,1,4-phenylene, 3,4-difluorothiophene-2,5-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-2,5-diyl, quinoxaline-5,8-diyl, thieno[3,4-]thiophene-4,6-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-6,4-diyl, or 3,6-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione, all of which are substituted on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other by one or more of the following groups: a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 35 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent C atoms are optionally replaced by —O—, —S—, —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —CR 0 ═CR 00 — or —C≡C— and in which one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, Cl, Br, I or CN.

7. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein

Ar is on each occurrence identically or differently benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkyl-benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxy-benzo[2,1,3]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl, benzo[1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[1,2,5]selenadiazole-4,7,diyl, benzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 5,6-dialkoxybenzo[2,1,3]oxadiazole-4,7-diyl, 2H-benzotriazole-4,7-diyl, 2,3-dicyano-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-dicyano,1,4-phenylene, 2,3-difluro-1,4-phenylene, 2,5-difluoro,1,4-phenylene, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro,1,4-phenylene, 3,4-difluorothiophene-2,5-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-2,5-diyl, quinoxaline-5,8-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-4,6-diyl, thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-6,4-diyl, or 3,6-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione, all of which are substituted on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other by one or more straight-chain alkoxy groups.

8. The polymer according to claim 1 , wherein

Ar is

which is substituted on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other by one or more straight-chain alkoxy groups.

9. A polymer, which is of one of the following formulae

wherein

R 1 and R 2 are on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, —CO—R y , —CO—O—R y , or —O—CO—R y ,

R y is a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent C atoms are optionally replaced by —O—, —S—, —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CR 0 ═CR 00 — or —C≡C— and in which one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, or is aryl or heteroaryl having 2 to 30 C atoms that is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more non-aromatic groups R 5 ,

R 3 and R 4 on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, denote

primary alkyl, alkoxy or thiolakyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, or secondary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 3 to 30 C atoms, or tertiary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 4 to 30 C atoms, wherein in all these groups one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, or

aryl, alkylated aryl or alkoxy aryl with 4 to 40 C atoms,

R 0 and R 00 are independently of each other H or an optionally substituted carbyl or hydrocarbyl group optionally comprising one or more hetero atoms,

R 5 is on each occurrence identically or differently H, halogen, —CN, —NC, —NCO, —NCS, —OCN, —SCN, —C(═O)NR 0 R 00 , —C(═O)X 0 , —C(═O)R 0 , —NH 2 , —NR 0 R 00 , —SH, —SR 0 , —SO 3 H, —SO 2 R 0 , —OH, —NO 2 , —CF 3 , —SF 5 , optionally substituted silyl, carbyl or hydrocarbyl with 1 to 40 C atoms that is optionally substituted and optionally comprises one or more hetero atoms,

X 0 is halogen,

n is an integer >1, and

R 10 and R 11 have independently of each other one of the meanings of R 1 or denote primary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 1 to 30 C atoms, or secondary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 3 to 30 C atoms, or tertiary alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl with 4 to 30 C atoms, wherein in all these groups one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, or are aryl, alkylated aryl or alkoxy aryl with 4 to 40 C atoms,

and wherein formula I2, I4, 6, I8, I10, I12, I14, I16, I18 and I20 denote random copolymers formed by units wherein a=1 and b=0 and units wherein a=0 and b=1.

10. A polymer blend comprising one or more polymers according to claim 1 , and one or more further polymers, which are optionally selected from polymers having semiconducting, charge transport, hole/electron transport, hole/electron blocking, electrically conducting, photoconducting or light emitting properties.

11. A formulation comprising one or more polymers according to claim 1 , and one or more solvents, which are optionally selected from organic solvents, and optionally one or more further polymers, which are optionally selected from polymers having semiconducting, charge transport, hole/electron transport, hole/electron blocking, electrically conducting, photoconducting or light emitting properties.

12. A charge transport, semiconducting, electrically conducting, photoconducting or light emitting material in optical, electrooptical, electronic, electroluminescent or photoluminescent component or device, comprising one or more polymers according to claim 1 and optionally one or more solvents, which are optionally selected from organic solvents, and optionally one or more further polymers, which are optionally selected from polymers having semiconducting, charge transport, hole/electron transport, hole/electron blocking, electrically conducting, photoconducting or light emitting properties.

13. An optical, electrooptical or electronic component or device comprising one or more polymers according to claim 1 and optionally one or more solvents, which are optionally selected from organic solvents, and optionally one or more further polymers, which are optionally selected from polymers having semiconducting, charge transport, hole/electron transport, hole/electron blocking, electrically conducting, photoconducting or light emitting properties.

14. The component or device according to claim 13 , which is an organic field effect transistor (OFET), thin film transistor (TFT), integrated circuit (IC), logic circuit, capacitor, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, organic light emitting diode (OLED), organic light emitting transistor (OLET), flat panel display, backlight of a display, organic photovoltaic device (OPV), solar cell, laser diode, photoconductor, photodetector, electrophotographic device, electrophotographic recording device, organic memory device, sensor device, charge injection layer, charge transport layer or interlayer in a polymer light emitting diode (PLEDs), Schottky diode, planarising layer, antistatic film, polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), conducting substrate, conducting pattern, electrode material in a battery, alignment layer, biosensor, biochip, security marking, security device, or a component or device for detecting and/or discriminating DNA sequences.

15. The component or device according to claim 14 , which is a bulk heterojunction OPV device.

16. A process of preparing a polymer according to claim 1 , comprising coupling one or more identical or different monomers of formula IIIa

wherein

R 1 , R 2 , A, B and Ar have the meanings given for the polymer of formula I,

R 8 and R 9 are, on each occurrence identically or differently, and independently of each other, halogen, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl with 1 to 35 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent C atoms are optionally replaced by —O—, —S—, —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —CR 0 ═CR 00 — or —C≡C— and in which one or more H atoms are optionally replaced by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, or an aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having 2 to 40 ring atoms that is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more non-aromatic groups R 5 , or are —CH 2 Cl, —CHO, —CH═CH 2 , —SiR′R″R″′, —SnR′R″R″′, —BR′R″, —B(OR′)(OR″), —B(OH) 2 , P-Sp, Cl, Br, I, O-tosylate, O-triflate, O-mesylate, O-nonaflate, —SiMe 2 F, —SiMeF 2 , —O—SO 2 Z 1 , —B(OZ 2 ) 2 , —CZ 3 ═C(Z 3 ) 2 , —C≡CH or —Sn(Z 4 ) 3 ,

P, Sp, R 0 , R 00 and R 5 are as defined for the polymer of formula I,

R′, R″R′″ have independently of each other one of the meanings of H or an optionally substituted carbyl or hydrocarbyl group optionally comprising one or more hetero atoms, and R′and R″ may also form a ring together with the hetero atom to which they are attached,

Z 1-4 are each independently an alkyl or aryl, each being optionally substituted, or two groups Z 2 form a cyclic group,

o is 0, and

i and k are independently of each other 0 or 1,

with one or more identical or different comonomers of the formula

R 8 —Ar—R 9

and optionally one or more identical or different comonomers selected from the following formulae

R 8 -A-R 9

R 8 —B—R 9

in an aryl-aryl coupling reaction.