A merocyanine-based conductive polymer

We report the first example of a conducting polymer with a merocyanine incorporated into the polymer backbone by electropolymerisation of a spiropyran moiety covalently linked between two alkoxythiophene units. Utilising the known metal coordination capabilities of merocyanines, introduction of cobalt ions into the electropolymerisation led to an enhancement of the conductivity, morphology and optical properties of the polymer films.