Green Copolymerization of Thiophene with para-Cholorobenzaldehyde Catalyzed by Maghnite-H⁺

An ecological strategy is discussed in this study, concerning the synthesis of a novel family of soluble conjugated polymers obtained by the copolymerization of thiophene with para-cholorobenzaldehyde. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions using a catalyst of clay origin (Maghnite-H⁺). This catalyst was prepared by creating active sites in the form of hydronium ions between the layers of the smectite-type clay, this was achieved by a light treatment with an acid. In order to identify the nature of the material obtained, it has been characterized by ¹H NMR, UV–Vis, FTIR spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The conjugated polymer obtained is a candidate for small-bandgap conducting copolymers based on poly(heteroarylene methine)s, and could serve as a useful model system which is the subject of sufficient research on the impacts of π-conjugation length on the electronic properties of the conjugated polymers. The measurement of the electrical conductivity of the synthesized polymer was made by spin coating technique, it is in the range of 1.864 × 10^–7 Ω/cm.