A comparison of 1,4-bis(halomethyl)benzenes as monomers for the modified Gilch route to poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene]

A comparison of 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)- and 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-5-methoxybenzene as monomers for the modified Gilch route to poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene] was made; the bis(bromomethyl) monomer was found to give substantially higher yields of MEH–PPV with consistently higher molecular weights and narrower polydispersities than the corresponding bis(chloromethyl) monomer.