Fluorescent, semi-conductive polymers, and devices comprising them

1. A fluorescent, semiconductive polymer comprising a conjugated backbone and electron withdrawing groups bonded to the polymer, wherein the fluorescent, semiconductive polymer is represented by formula Ia, Ib, Ic or Id:

wherein, independently for each occurrence:

R is an electron withdrawing group selected from the group consisting of esters, perhalogenated alkyls, perhalogenated aryls, nitriles, and electron deficient heteroaryls;

B is a double bond, triple bond, or aryl; optionally substituted by one or more R 1 ;

R 1 is R, H, C 1-12 alkyl, C 2-12 alkenyl, C 2-12 alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroaralkyl;

A is a fused aryl, cycloalkyl, or cycloalkenyl ring;

* depicts an end group for the polymer selected from the group consisting of H, halide, alkyl, alkoxy, and aryl; and

n is an integer greater than 1.

2. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is an ester or a perhalogenated alkyl group.

3. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is an ester.

4. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is —CO 2 CH 3 or —CO 2 C(CH 3 ) 3 .

5. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is a perfluorinated alkyl group.

6. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is a perfluorinated C 1-12 alkyl group.

7. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —CF 3 , —C 4 F 9 , C 8 F 17 , or —C 10 F 21 .

8. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —CF 3 .

9. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —C 4 F 9 .

10. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —C 8 F 17 .

11. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —C 10 F 21 .

12. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is H.

13. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein A is a fused benzene ring.

14. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein n is greater than about 10, 100, or 1000.

15. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is —CO 2 Me, R 1 is H, A is a fused benzene ring, and n is greater than about 10, 100, or 1000.

16. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 1 , wherein R is —CF 3 , R 1 is H, A is a fused benzene ring, and n is greater than about 10, 100, or 1000.

17. A fluorescent, semiconductive polymer comprising a conjugated backbone and electron withdrawing groups bonded to the polymer, wherein the fluorescent, semiconductive polymer comprises formula II:

wherein, independently for each occurrence:

B is a double bond, triple bond, or aryl;

R is an electron withdrawing group selected from the group consisting of esters, perhalogenated alkyls, perhalogenated aryls, nitriles, and electron deficient heteroaryls;

R 1 is R, H, C 1-6 alkyl, C 2-8 alkenyl, C 2-8 alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, C 1-12 alkoxy, an electron deficient ring, or any two adjacent R 1 taken together form a monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic, or tetracyclic ring which may be substituted by one or more R;

* depicts an end group for the polymer selected from the group consisting of H, halide, alkyl, alkoxy, and aryl;

a is an integer from 1-4 inclusive; and

m and n are integers greater than or equal to one.

18. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein B is a double bond.

19. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein B is a triple bond.

20. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein B is aryl.

21. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is a perhalogenated alkyl.

22. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is a perfluorinated alkyl.

23. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is an ester.

24. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —CO 2 CH 3 or —CO 2 C(CH 3 ) 3 .

25. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —CF 3 , —C 4 F 9 , —C 8 F 17 , or —C 10 F 21 .

26. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —CF 3 .

27. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —C 4 F 9 .

28. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —C 8 F 17 .

29. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein R is —C 10 F 21 .

30. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein at least one R 1 is a perfluorinated C 1-12 alkyl.

31. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two R 1 are perfluorinated C 1-12 alkyls.

32. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein at least one R 1 is a C 1-12 alkoxy group.

33. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two R 1 are C 1-12 alkoxy groups.

34. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein a is 2.

35. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein m and n are greater than about 10, 100, or 1000.

36. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of adjacent R 1 each form a monocyclic ring.

37. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of adjacent R 1 each form a bicyclic ring.

38. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of adjacent R 1 each form a tricyclic ring.

39. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of adjacent R 1 each form a tetracyclic ring.

40. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of adjacent R 1 each form either a monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic, or tetracyclic structure.

41. The fluorescent, semiconductive polymer of claim 17 , wherein two sets of R 1 are each independently selected from the group consisting of