Rare earth complexes using azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether)s with different absorption wavelengths as macromolecular ligands: synthesis, characterization, fluorescence properties and fabrication of fluorescent holographic micropatterns

In this paper, two novel azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether)s with different absorption wavelengths were synthesized via Ullmann coupling and Sonogashira coupling, respectively. The obtained polymers were characterized and evaluated by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR, UV-vis, DSC and TGA. Rare earth complexes were prepared by using the two novel azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether)s as macromolecular ligands. The obtained rare earth complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and WAXD. The influence of the absorption wavelength of azobenzene chromophores on the fluorescent properties was investigated. The polymer whose absorption wavelength was far from the excitation wavelengths of the rare earth complexes showed a much larger fluorescence intensity. By exposing the films of the rare earth complexes to two interference laser beams, SRGs can be formed on the films and can also be detected by fluorescence microscopy measurement.