Most of the monomer units in the semiconductive polymers are polymerizable electrochemically. Therefore, we can functionalyze the electrode surface through electrochemical polymerization of the designed monomer unit. We synthesized the thiophene [2]rotaxane, in which a macrocycle is mechanically entrapped by the dumbbell-shaped oligothiophene derivative. Then we prepared thin film of the polythiophene polyrotaxane on the transparent electrode (Indium-tin-oxide) through the electrochemical polymerization of the thiophene [2]rotaxane. This film shows the electrochromism meaning that the color of the film is electrochemically controllable. We are trying to create the electrochemically-active surface based on this protocol.

• Taichi Ikeda, Masayoshi Higuchi, Dirk G. Kurth: "From thiophene [2]rotaxane to polythiophene polyrotaxane." Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131, 9158-9159 (2009). DOI: 10.1021/ja902992c