Electrochromic poly(acetylene)s with switchable visible/near-IR absorption characteristics.

Ferrocene is incorporated into a poly(acetylene) derivative via the postpolymerization amidation of a polymer precursor bearing pentafluorophenyl ester-leaving groups with aminoferrocene. While the neutral polymer exhibits a strong absorbance at 553 nm due to its conjugated backbone, oxidation of the ferrocene moieties with silver tetrafluoroborate causes the material to absorb in the near-IR (λ max ≈ 1215 nm). Subsequent reduction of the oxidized polymer with decamethylferrocene restores the initial absorbance profile, demonstrating that the material features switchable visible/near-IR absorption characteristics.