Gas sensors and methods of sensing a gas-phase analyte

A method of sensing a gas-phase analyte, comprising:

• (a) providing a gas sensor, comprising:
• a substrate;
• a plurality of electrodes on the substrate;
• and
• a polymeric sensing layer on the substrate for adsorbing a gas-phase analyte, the adsorption of which analyte is effective to change a property of the gas sensor that results in a change in an output signal from the gas sensor, wherein the polymeric sensing layer comprises a polymer chosen from substituted or unsubstituted polyarylenes comprising the reaction product of monomers comprising a first monomer comprising an aromatic acetylene group and a second monomer comprising two or more cyclopentadienone groups, or a cured product of the reaction product, wherein the first monomer is chosen from monomers of formula (1) or formula (2):
• wherein:
• R is independently chosen from H, —C(═O)OR2, substituted or unsubstituted C6-20 aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted C4-20 heteroaryl;
• R1 is independently chosen from F, substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C6-20 aryl, C4-20 heteroaryl, —C≡C—R, —C(═O)OR2, —C(═O)NHR3, —O—C(═O)R4, —NHC(═O)R5,—S(═O)2—OR6, or S(═O)2—NHR3;
• R2 is independently chosen from H, substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl, C6-20 aryl, or C4-20 heteroaryl;
• R3 is independently chosen from H or substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl;
• R4 is independently chosen from H or substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl;
• R5 is independently chosen from H or substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl;
• R6 is independently chosen from H or substituted or unsubstituted C1-10 alkyl;
• and a in formula (1) is an integer from 0 to 2, and a in formula (2) is an integer from 0 to 3, and wherein the second monomer is of formula (3A):
• wherein each R7 is independently chosen from H, substituted or unsubstituted C1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C6-20 aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted C4-20 heteroaryl;
• R8 is substituted or unsubstituted C6-20 aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted C4-20 heteroaryl;
• R9 is independently chosen from substituted or unsubstituted C1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C6-20 aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted C4-20 heteroaryl;
• and Ar1 is an aromatic moiety;
• and
• (b) exposing the polymeric sensing layer to an atmosphere comprising a gas-phase analyte.