Electroactive polymers

A tractable electroactive polymer which comprises a charged polymer backbone and charge compensating ionic dopants associated therewith of the formula ##STR39## wherein a is 0 or 1;

• b is 0 or 1;
• c is 0 or 1;
• n is an integer from 2 to 20,000;
• d is an integer from 1 to 40,000;
• S is an integer 1, 2, or 3;
• R is a fused 6,6-membered nitrogen-containing unsaturated diradical-heterocyclic ring system;
• R' is the same as R or a different fused 6,6-membered unsaturated heterocyclic ring system;
• X is a connecting unit;
• Y is the same connecting unit as X or a different connecting unit;
• and M is a charge compensating ionic dopant of opposite electrical charge to the charge of the polymer backbone, wherein the polymer backbone is capable of undergoing reversible oxidation or a reversible reduction or both to form said charged polymer backbone and wherein said X or Y connecting unit is an atom or group of atoms which can link the R or R' diradicals into said polymer backbone, said connecting unit is selected from the group consisting of ##STR40## wherein R.sup.v, R.sup.vi and R.sup.vii are H or methyl, and mixtures of said connecting units.