| Abstract: | Photochromic acrylates containing both biphenylene and spiro-oxazine moieties with a chiral substituent and the related polymers were prepared and yielded photochromic chiral liquid crystalline systems. The photochromic acrylates containing both an undecamethylene group and a (2S, 3S)-2-chloro-3-methylpentanoyloxy group (A11SOP) or a (-)-menthoxyacetoxy group (A11SOM) gave a supercooled mesophase; the latter reflected right-handed visible light (blue colour) at room temperature. On the other hand, the photochromic acrylate containing both the (R)-(-)-2-methylpropylene and (2S, 3S)-2-chloro-3-methylpentanoyloxy groups (A3SOP) showed no mesophase. The related homopolymers, PA11SOP and PA11SOM, did not exhibit mesophases because of steric hindrance between the side groups of the polymers. However, only PA11SOM exhibited shear-induced birefringence under 100-104°C. Several copolymers consisting of the nematogenic monomer, 4-4-(6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy)benzoyloxy]benzonitrile (A6CN), and A11SOP or A11SOM possessed a smectic phase due to reduction of the steric hindrance between the potentially smectogenic A11SOP or A11SOM moieties. |
