Synthesis and characterization of stannane-terminated poly(silole-co-germole) for the evaluation of luminescent polymeric light-emitting diode.

Codehydrocoupling (with various inorganic hydrides) followed by stannane-capping (with Ph2SnHCI) of 1,1-dihydrotetraphenylsilole (1) and 1,1-dihydrotetraphenylgermole (2) (9:1 mol ratio) produces electroluminescent stannane-terminated poly(silole-co-germole)s (3) in high yield. The polymerization yield and molecular weight with Selectride increase in the order L-Selectride < N-Selectride < K-Selectride. The molecular weights increase in the order L-Selectride < Red-Al < N-Selectride < K-Selectride < Super-Hydride. The copolymer 3, a good candidate for PLED fabrication, emits at 523 nm and are electroluminescent at 521 nm. The fluorescence quantum yield of 3 in toluene is (1.61 +/- 0.29) x 10(-2). The emission color is green. The maximum brightness of the device is 3,750 cd/m2 with a luminous power efficiency of 0.67 Im/W.