Preparation, characterizations and electrochromic properties of copolymers containing 5, 10, 15, 20-tetra(thienyl) porphyrin and thiophene derivatives

•Four meso-tetrakis (thienyl)porphyrin monomers have been successfully copolymerized with thiophenes in BFEE.•The copolymer films exhibit multicolor electrochromism and tunable color change.•The Zn(II) complexing takes a deep influence on the spectroelectrochemical properties of the copolymers.•Porphyrin macrocycle can be a good embedding unit for preparing electrochromic polymers.