Recently, considerable research has been developed in modifying the electronic properties of conducting polymers mainly by attaching specific functional groups to the polymeric chain, so called third generation of polymers. These efforts can result in additional redox activity, modified electronic properties, molecular recognition or electrochromism. Viologen is such a functional group which can give additional redox properties to the polymeric backbone, besides the electrical conductivity. The chemical or electrochemical reduction of cyanopyridines to viologens is well known. In this work, we have synthesized a thiophene monomer bearing a cyanopyridine moiety in its side chain. Its electrochemical polymerization results in a polythiophene film highly cross-linked by the viologen unit. In order to improve adhesion and insolubility of the polymer film, we choose ionic liquid as an electrolyte for electropolymerization. The resulting polymer film shows electrochemical activity from both viologen and polythiophene moieties. In-situ spectroelectrochemical studies of the polymer shows an improved multicolored electrochromism with coloring characteristics both of the viologen and the polythiophene backbone. 

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