Stable Hydrogen-Bonding Complexes of Poly(4-vinylpyridine) and Polydiacetylenes for Photolithography and Sensing

We prepare hydrogen-bonding complexes of the diacetylene derivatives 10,12-tricosadiynoic acid, 4,6-heptadecadiynoic acid, and ((E)-4-((4-(tricosa-10,12- diynoyloxy)phenyl)diazenyl)benzoic acid and poly(4-vinylpyridine) in organic solvents. The complexes are spin-cast and form high-quality thin films, which can be photopolymerized and yield the blue phase of polydiacetylenes. A cross-linked network of the hydrogen-bonding complex is formed and shows improved stability to organic solvents. We demonstrate sensor capabilities for various organic solvents and gases by means of the blue-to-red color changes of polydiacetylenes. Based on the different solubility of the hydrogen-bonding complex before and after UV irradiation, photolithography can be employed to fabricate microstructures for polydiacetylene-based devices.