Rotaxanated Conjugated Sensory Polymers.

The prepn. of two highly emissive conjugated polyacetylenes with tethered rotaxane repeat units are reported. Hydrogen bonding between acidic alcs. and the N-heteroarom. groups in the rotaxanes attenuates polymer fluorescence. In addn., the rotaxane groups create precise three-dimensional pockets for metal binding, which results in fluorescence quenching. Exposing thin films of Zn-doped polymers to alc. vapors reverses the quenching by up to 25%. [on SciFinder(R)]