Functionalized Conducting Polymers—Towards Intelligent Materials

Organic conjugated polymers and oligomers constitute a three‐dimensional network of molecular wires, in which all monomeric units can be functionalized with various prosthetic groups. By varying the nature of these groups, specific interactions with external physical or chemical phenomena can be developed in these materials, leading to molecular devices such as sensors, transducers, memories and logic operators. Chemists have already mastered the realization of many of these functional elements, which mimic those existing in organized beings. The further assembly of these elements in multifunctionalized organic conducting polymers and oligomers will represent the next step towards intelligent materials.