SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLY(METH)ACRYLATES CONTAINING SILOXANE SPACER AND TERPHENYLENE MESOGENIC UNIT*

Novel side-chain liquid-crystalline poly(meth)acrylates were synthesized using 1-(3-hydroxyl-propyl)-3-[(4"-cyano-p-terphenyloxycarbonyl)alkyl]-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane as the key intermediate. The polymers used a disiloxanemoiety as decoupling spacer with cyano-p-terphenyl as mesogenic unit. The products were characterized by NMR, GPC,DSC and polarizing optical microscopy. All the polymers with cyano-p-terphenyl mesogens formed a stable mesophase.However, if the mesogenic unit is replaced by cyano-p-biphenyl, the liquid crystalline character will be lost. The results alsoshowed that the decoupling is incomplete even if a complex and very flexible decoupling spacer is deliberately incorporatedto obtain the highest possible decoupling effect.     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline polymethacrylates,polyacrylates, and polysiloxanes containing 4-methoxy-4′-hydroxy-α-methylstilbene-based mesogenic groups

The synthesis and characterization of polymethacrylates and polyacrylates containing 4-methoxy-4′-hydroxy-α-methylstilbene side groups attached either directly or through flexible spacers containing eleven, eight, six, three, and respectively two methylenic units, and of the polysiloxanes containing the same mesogenic group connected through flexible spacers containing eleven, eight, six, and respectively three methylenic units are described. All polymers exhibit thermotropic liquid crystallinity. The nature of the mesophase is determined by the spacer length. However, the nature of the polymer backbone determines the thermal stability of the mesophase. That is, for the same spacer length and similar polymer molecular weight, the most flexible polymer backbone leads to the highest isotropization temperature.     

Liquid crystal polymers. IV. Thermotropic polyesters with flexible spacers in the main chain

Two closely related series of polyesters that contain mesogenic units interconnected by flexible spacers along the main chain were prepared and characterized for their liquid crystal properties. All of these polymers showed theotropic behavior, which was examined by DSC, hot-stage microscopy on a polarizing microscope, small-angle light and wide-angle x-ray scattering methods, and visual observation of stir-opalescence of the polymer melts. The effect of the length of the flexible spacer and the nature of the substituent, which is on the central aromatic ring of the mesogenic unit, on the stability and molecular order of the mesophase for each of the polymers was investigated and the results are discussed on the basis of the thermodynamic data obtained.     

STUDY OF CHIRAL SIDE CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

Five kinds of side chain liquid crystalline polymers with a chiral component in the pendant group were synthesized and characterized by GPC, polarizing microscopy, DSC, X-ray diffraction ano Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy. The liquid crystalline behaviour of the polymers is affected by the length of flexible spacer, which links the mesogenic side chain to the polymer backbone and mesogenic moiety. The characteristic of smectic phase is observed for all the polymers.     

Synthesis and characterization of new thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers with paired mesogens containing azobenzene unit: Poly(malonic ester)s

New thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(malonic ester)s with two symmetrical mesogenic units (paired mesogens) were prepared by the polycondensation of 1,6-dibromohexane and novel malonic ester compounds with different flexible ethyleneoxy spacer lengths linked to azobenzene group. All the prepared malonic esters and the resulting polymers exhibited monotropic liquid crystallinity with a nematic texture. The length of the spacer had influence on the temperature of phase transition of them. A possibility of application of the prepared polymers to reversible optical information storage media was also identified through a trans–cis isomerization of azobenzene by UV irradiation.     

Laterally attached liquid crystalline polymers as stationary phases in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. II. Optimization of the molecular parameter of the polymer

Stationary phases obtained by coating side-chain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) with the mesogenic rod like units laterally attached to a polysiloxane backbone via a flexible spacer have been already reported. These phases show excellent planarity and shape recognition for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) solutes in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Optimization of these stationary phases in terms of molecular parameters of the polymer is here described. Fifteen stationary phases have been prepared varying different parameters such as the spacer length, the aliphatic tail length, and the proportion of laterally attached mesogenic units along the polymer chain. The results show that the combination of a long spacer and long terminal chains, which generates a smectic phase in the polymer bulk, leads to the best chromatographic performances towards planarity and shape recognition for PAH solutes.     

Liquid crystalline side chain polymer with a poly (Geraniol-co-MMA) backbone and phenylbenzoate mesogenic group: synthesis and characterization

A new side chain liquid crystalline polymers have been synthesized and characterized in which [geraniol-co-MMA] polymer are used as a backbone linked via polymethylene spacer to phenyl benzoate mesogenic group. The polymer exhibits enantiotropic liquid crystallinity with nematic phase and does not exhibit side chain crystallization .A clear difference between the nature of the mesophase is evidenced between [Geraniol-co-MMA] main chain and methacrylate polymers .The LC polymer exhibit glass transition at 40 °C. In a comparative analysis, we discuss the relevance of polymer backbone in the synthesis of side chain liquid crystalline polymers.     

Properties of a liquid crystalline polyester with a mesogen containing the bicyclooctylene ring

A liquid crystalline polyester with a decamethyene flexible spacer and a mesogenic unit containing a central 1,4-bicyclo(2,2,2)octylene ring was prepared for comparison with the equivalent polymer containing a central p-phenylene ring in the mesogen. Both polymers formed a nematic phase on melting, and as expected, the former had a much lower isotropization temperature than the latter. The polymer containing the bicyclooctylene ring, however, showed a batonnet texture, indicative of a smectic phase, at a temperature above that of the nematic state, especially on cooling from the isotropic melt.     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline copolymethacrylates,copolyacrylates, and copolysiloxanes containing 4-methoxy-4′-hydroxy-α-methylstilbene and 4-hydroxy-4′-methoxy-α-methylstilbene constitutional isomers as side-groups

The synthesis of methacrylates and acrylates containing 4-methoxy-4′-hydroxy-α-methylstilbene and 4-hydroxy-4′-methoxy-α-methylstilbene constitutional isomers attached to the polymerizable group through flexible spacers containing 11, 8, 6, 3, and respectively 2 methylenic units is described. The radical copolymerization of a 1/2 or 2/1 mole ratio of the two constitutional isomeric monomers led to thermotropic side-chain liquid crystalline polymers in all cases. The synthesis of copolysiloxanes based on the same constitutional isomeric mesogens as side groups, and flexible spacers containing 11, 8, 6, 5, and respectively 3 methylenic units is also described. All polymers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and optical polarization microscopy. The polymers containing 11 methylenic units in the spacer exhibit S_c mesomorphism, while the other polymers are nematic. Copolymethacrylates do not undergo side-chain crystallization. Only the copolyacrylate containing 11 methylenic units in the spacer exhibits side-chain crystallization. All the copolysiloxanes display side-chain crystallization. The number of melting transitions seen for these polymers decreases with increasing spacer length. Copolysiloxanes containing dissimilar spacer length were also prepared. Only the copolymer synthesized with highly dissimilar spacer lengths, i.e., containing 3 and 11 methylenic units, does not undergo side-chain crystallization. These results have demonstrated that while the type of mesophase is dictated only by the spacer length, the degree of decoupling of the motion of the side-groups from the motion of the main chain is strongly dependent on the nature of the polymer backbone. For the same mesogenic unit and spacer length, the thermal stability of the mesophase is also dictated by the nature of the polymer backbone. The use of constitutional isomers of mesogenic units as side groups in liquid crystalline polymers provides at least qualitative information on the degree of decoupling of the side groups from the polymer main chain.     

新型光学活性含氰基三联苯液晶聚噻吩合成与分子构象

合成了一种含有长柔性间隔基和氰基三联苯液晶基元的发光性聚噻吩衍生物{—[thiopheneyl—CH2—COO—(CH2)6—O—terphenyl—CN]n—, PT(6)TPhCN}. 利用傅里叶变换红外(FT-IR)光谱、核磁共振(1HNMR)、差示扫描量热(DSC)仪、偏光显微镜(POM)、紫外-可见(UV-Vis)吸收光谱和荧光(PL)光谱对单体和聚合物的结构及性质进行了表征. 单体都呈现出良好的液晶性能, 由于长间隔基的存在, 聚合物PT(6)TPhCN也呈现出良好SmAd相. 氰基三联苯的存在还赋予了聚合物良好的光致发光性能, 同时, 长间隔基也有效地降低了分子间的相互作用, 进一步增强了聚合物的发光性能. 另外, 研究发现, 在未引入任何手性元素的情况下, 聚合物主链在圆二色(CD)光谱中还呈现出明显的Cotton 效应, 这可能是由于大体积液晶基元的位阻效应和取向作用, 液晶基元环绕主链进行取向的同时诱导聚噻吩主链在长程范围内呈螺旋取向.     

Phase biaxiality in nematic liquid crystalline side-chain polymers of various chemical constitutions

In a previous deuterium NMR study conducted on a liquid crystalline (LC) polymer with laterally attached book-shaped molecules as the mesogenic moiety, we have revealed a biaxial nematic phase below the conventional uniaxial nematic phase (Phys. Rev. Lett. 2004, 92, 125501). To elucidate details of its formation, we here report on deuterium NMR experiments that have been conducted on different types of LC side-chain polymers as well as on mixtures with low-molar-mass mesogens. Different parameters that affect the formation of a biaxial nematic phase, such as the geometry of the attachment, the spacer length between the polymer backbone and the mesogenic unit, as well as the polymer dynamics, were investigated. Surprisingly, also polymers with terminally attached mesogens (end-on polymers) are capable of forming biaxial nematic phases if the flexible spacer is short and thus retains a coupling between the polymer backbone and the LC phase. Furthermore, the most important parameter for the formation of a biaxial nematic phase is the dynamics of the polymer backbone, as the addition of a small percentage of low molar mass LC to the biaxial nematic polymer from the original study served to shift both the glass transition and the appearance of detectable biaxiality in a very similar fashion. Plotting different parameters for the investigated systems as a function of T/Tg also reveals the crucial role of the dynamics of the polymer backbone and hence the glass transition.     

Helical pitch of ferroelectric liquid-crystalline polymers and copolymers

Ferroelectric liquid-crystalline polymers and copolymers were synthesized from acrylate polymers with side chains consisting of a flexible spacer unit, a mesogenic unit and an optically active substituent. In the chiral smectic C (S*_c) phases typical fan-shaped textures with equidistant lines (caused by the helical structures) were observed. It was found that the helical pitch increased with increasing polymer molecular weight. The helical pitch also increased in copolymers containing mixtures of right- and left-handed chiral side chains.     

Liquid crystal elastomers: Synthesis and characterization

The synthesis is described of some acrylate based polymers containing both a mesogenic group (4-cyanophenyl benzoate) connected to the polymer backbone by a flexible spacer, and varying degrees of crosslinking, introduced by copolymerization. Optical and calorimetric techniques are used to determine the phase behavior, which is found to depend strongly on the crosslink density (and the flexible spacer length); though (nominally) a relatively high degree of crosslinking is possible without completely destroying the liquid crystal phase. Mechanical measurements in conjunction with supplementary analytical data, where available, are used to determine the efficiency of copolymerization at introducing intermolecular crosslinking. Some possible explanations for the unexpectedly low efficiency of this process are discussed. The properties of materials prepared in this fashion are compared briefly with some examples where crosslinking is introduced after polymerization; this latter process is seen to be rather more efficient.     

Palladium complexes of side‐chain liquid crystal polymers with T‐shaped two‐dimensional mesogenic units

A series of liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) with T‐shaped two‐dimensional mesogenic units were synthesized via solution polycondensation. The LCPs were used as ligand polymers to coordinate with palladium dichloride, by which a series of polymeric palladium complexes were prepared. The liquid crystalline behaviors of the compounds were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, polarized microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The entire palladium complexes went to liquid crystal phase when heated to their melting temperature (T _m), and a threaded texture was observed. The melting point of all the complexes changes regularly with the increase of the end alkoxy group length and the flexible spacer unit in the ligand polymer. It is worth noting that some of the complexes without end substituent groups in the ligand polymer were also found to show liquid crystal behaviors, which would be a subject for further investigation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigations of comblike polysiloxanes. I. The influence of spacer length on dielectric relaxation studies of aligned samples

Dielectric relaxation studies on aligned liquid-crystalline comblike polysiloxanes are presented. The polymers differ only in the length of the flexible spacer separating the mesogenic side groups from the polysiloxane backbone. The characteristic features of the observed relaxation process as a function of frequency and temperature, in both the liquid-crystalline and isotropic phases, are described, and the effect of the spacer length is discussed. Within the liquid-crystalline phase a narrow single loss process is observed, due to the relaxation of the mesogenic side groups around the polymer backbone, whereas in the isotropic phase a much broader loss curve is seen. The transition from an aligned polymer mesophase to the randomly aligned isotropic phase is also studied in detial, and comparison with earlier work on comblike polyacrylate and methacrylate liquid crystals is presented.     

Structures and properties of liquid‐crystalline polymers based on laterally attached oligo p‐phenylenes

The structures and properties of liquid‐crystalline polymers containing laterally attached p‐terphenyl and p‐pentaphenyl have been studied. In contrast to their mesogenic groups, that is, p‐terphenyl and p‐pentaphenyl, the polymers have much lower crystallinity and also lower nematic‐to‐isotropic transition temperatures. The significant depression in crystallinity can be attributed to flexible chain segments laterally attached to the oligo p‐phenylene rods, which prevent close packing of the rods and thus disrupt the crystallization. The destabilization of the liquid‐crystalline phase is due to the diluting effect of the flexible polymer backbones; that is, the concentration of the mesogenic groups is reduced. The polymer containing p‐pentaphenyl can still exhibit good solubility in common solvents and emit light at about 402 nm in the solvent tetrahydrofuran. In the solid state, the emission redshifts to 418 nm, which is fairly close to the blue‐light emission. An interdigitated packing structure of mesogenic groups has been proposed to represent the structure of the polymer in the oriented state. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3394–3402, 2005     

The effect of chemical constitution of mesogenic monomer unit on liquid crystalline properties of polymers

Glass transition temperatures and thermodynamic parameters of mesophase melting of polymers with mesogenic side-groups of the phenyl benzoate class depend on the length of the alkoxy substitutent, the mobility of the mesogenic groups and the nature of the main chain. Polymers with mesogenic groups connected directly to the main chain, obtained by precipitation from solution, have equilibrium liquid crystalline structures in which the macromolecules exist in a compact coil conformation with an ordered arrangement of the mesogenic groups. The nature of the main chain of these polymers affects the liquid crystalline structure. Mesophase melting parameters of the polymers with mesogenic groups, connected by flexible spacer groups to the main chain, are almost independent of the thermal history of the samples. These polymers in the isotropic melts are assumed to contain aggregates of the mesogenic groups.     

Thermotropic laterally attached liquid crystalline polymers: I. New stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography

Up to now thermotropic liquid crystalline side chain polymers have been seldom used as stationary phases in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The preparation of a new class of surface modified silica gels is reported. They are obtained by coating on the silica support liquid crystalline polysiloxanes with mesogenic side groups laterally attached to the polymer backbone through a flexible spacer. Their chromatographic behavior in reversed-phase HPLC is described for the separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The results show excellent planarity and rod shape recognition capabilities. Comparisons with low-molecular-mass liquid crystalline-bonded silica and longitudinally attached liquid crystalline polymer-coated stationary phase are also reported. Finally, comparisons to commercially available C₁₈ phases are described for the separation of complex mixtures.     

Syntheses and alignment behavior of liquid crystalline polymethacrylates having 2‐ and 4‐styrylpyridine moieties

Two kinds of polymethacrylates, 1 and 2 , with 2‐styrylpyridine and 4‐styrylpyridine moiety as a photoreactive group, which have a benzoate group as a mesogenic unit, and hexylene group as a flexible spacer in the same side chain, were synthesized to characterize their alignment behaviors. The UV absorption and fluorescence studies on the two polymers revealed that the latter polymer with the 4‐stylrylpyridine moiety is more aggregative than the former polymer with the 2‐styrylpyridine moiety. The polymer 1 showed a nematic phase structure at 170 °C, while 2 appeared in a partially bilayered smectic A phase structure in the homeotropic direction at 175 °C. The polymer 1 film generated an in‐plane alignment by a linearly polarized UV light irradiation and subsequent annealing, and its direction was parallel with respect to the irradiation. On the other hand, the polymer 2 film with the same treatments gave a high out‐of‐plane order parameter of 0.73 in a wide temperature range of 120–240 °C. The significant differences in the aggregation behavior, the liquid‐crystalline structure, and the alignment between the two polymers were discussed by the structural differences between the 2‐ and 4‐styrylpyridine moieties in the two polymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5371–5380, 2008     

基于不同间隔基的含三联苯甲壳型液晶聚乙炔的合成与性能研究

设计并合成一类含三联苯液晶基元的甲壳型液晶聚乙炔(-{HC=C-[(CH2)mOOC-terpheyl(OC6H13)2]}n-,m=5,PHA5TP(OC6)2;m=9,PHA9TP( OC6)2),研究了聚合物的热稳定性、液晶性能和发光性能,考察了间隔基的长度对其性能的影响.结果表明,三联苯液晶基元赋予单体和聚合物...