be 97 mv vs the reference electrode all potentials reported herein are relative to the ag ag reference electrode cycling of the polymer films was accomplished using monomer free 100 mm tmabf 4 in propylene carbonate as the electrolyte system 2 bromothiophene 12 4 ml 32 0 mmol was added to 500 ml dry diethyl ether then n butyl lithium 2 5 m in hexanes 50 8 ml 127 2 mmol was added and the mixture was stirred for sixty minutes after this time zncl 2 1 0 m in ether 127 2 ml 127 2 mmol was added slowly giving a white precipitate next the reaction mixture was allowed to slowly warm to room temperature and was then refluxed for four hours following the reflux period the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and pd pph 3 4 1 85 g 1 6 mmol was added followed by the slow addition of dimethyl malonyl chloride 2 0 ml 15 1 mmol after completion of the additions the reaction mixture was brought to reflux and stirred overnight after this time the reaction mixture was poured into 500 ml saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate the two phase mixture was filtered and separated the organic phase was washed with brine and dried over sodium sulfate the solvent was removed by rotary evaporation to give a pale orange solid this solid was dissolved in a minimal amount of acetone and passed through a short plug of silica gel.