Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. 24. The influence of molecular weight on the thermotropic properties of a random copolyether based on 1,5-dibromopentane, 1,7-dibromoheptane,and 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene

The influence of molecular weight on thermal transitions and on their thermodynamic parameters is discussed for a random thermotropic liquid crystalline copolyether based on the reaction of a 1:1 molar mixture of 1,5-dibromopentane and 1,7-dibromoheptane with 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene. Optimum phase transfer catalyzed polyetherification reaction conditions were established for the synthesis of polymers containing bromoalkane chain ends only over a wide variety of molecular weights. All these copolyethers present a crystalline and an enantiotropic nematic mesophase over the entire range of molecular weights studied. Both the thermal transitions and their thermodynamic parameters are strongly molecular weight-dependent up to M _n = 10,000–12,000, after which they remain constant. The enthalpies and entropies of isotropization of the copolyethers are higher than those of melting. This is in contrast to the same thermodynamic parameters of the corresponding homopolyethers. The enthalpies and entropies of isotropization of both homopolymers and copolymers present similar values, suggesting that copolymerization does decrease the degree of order in the crystalline phase but does not significantly change the alignment degree of the mesogenic units in the nematic mesophase.     

Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase-transfer catalysis. 15. Thermotropic copolyethers based on 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl,bisphenol a and 1,9-dibromononane

Thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) copolyethers have been synthesized from 1,9-dibromononane, a nonmesogenic bisphenol (4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol [BPA]) and a mesogenic bisphenol (4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl [HB]) by a two-phase (organic solvent—aqueous NaOH) phase-transfer catalyzed polyetherification. LC polyethers were obtained for copolymers containing as much as 70 mol % BPA. Optical polarizing microscopy and DSC have revealed smectic mesomorphism for all the copolyethers. The influence of both copolymer composition and microstructural changes, including the nature of the chain ends, upon the mesomorphic properties of these copolyethers have been discussed.     

Molecular engineering of liquid crystal polymers by living polymerization. II. Living cationic polymerization of 11-[(4-cyano-4′-biphenyl) oxy] undecanyl vinyl ether and the mesomorphic behavior of the resulting polymers

The synthesis and living cationic polymerization of 11-[(4-cyano-4′-biphenyl)oxy]-undecanyl vinyl ether ( 6 – 11 ) are described. The mesomorphic phase behavior of poly( 6 – 11 ) with different degrees of polymerization was compared to that of 6 – 11 and of 11-[(4-cyano-4′-biphenyl) oxy] undecanyl ethyl ether ( 8 – 11 ) which is the model compound of the monomeric structural unit of poly( 6 – 11 ). 6 – 11 displays a monotropic S_A and a monotropic nematic mesophase while 8 – 11 an enantiotropic S_A mesophase. Poly( 6 – 11 ) with low degrees of polymerization exhibits an enantiotropic S_A mesophase. Poly( 6 – 8 ) with high degrees of polymerization displays an enantiotropic S_X (i. e., an unidentified smectic phase) and an enantiotropic S_C mesophase. These results demonstrate that the transformation of the nematic mesophase of the monomer into a smectic mesophase after polymerization, occurs at the level of monomeric structural unit.     

Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. XXVI. Synthesis and characterization of thermotropic liquid crystalline polypodants

Thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) polyethers and copolyethers have been synthesized from 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene (HMS) and α,ω-dichlorooligo(oxyethylene)s having between 2 and 5 as well as 8.7 oxyethylene units. Copolyethers were prepared from a 1:1 mol/mol ratio of two dissimilar spacers. These polymers have been prepared by a phase transfer catalyzed (PTC) polyetherification of bisphenols with these electrophiles by utilizing 50 mol% tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate per phenol group. Kinetic experiments with either 5 or 50 mol% catalyst vs phenol groups in the polyetherification of 4,4%-isopropylidenediphenol with 2-chloroethyl ether have shown that a change in catalyst primarily affects the rate of reaction, with 50 mol % being faster. The prepared polyethers and copolyethers are soluble in common organic solvents. Both polyethers and copolyethers are crystalline. Polymers prepared to contain tetraoxyethylene spacers exhibit monotropic LC behavior. Copolymers prepared to contain tri- and tetraoxyethylene spacers (1 : 1 mol/mol) [PE34] were the only polymers exhibiting enantiotropic LC behavior. Longer spacers tend to destabilize the phase transitions, as suggested by the dependence of thermal transition temperatures upon the differential scanning calorimeter rate. All prepared polymers act as podants in solution, measured by picrate extraction experiments. Solid state complexes have been prepared from the polymer with a pentaoxyethylene spacer [PE5] and PE34 with LiCF₃SO₃. PE5 can dissolve LiCF₃SO₃ in the range of 0.21–2.2 mol salt/mol polymer (m.r.u.) [S/P] without the observation of free salt. PE5 complexes of/or below S/P of 0.43, upon annealing at room temperature, exhibited the two melting transitons observed in the polymer alone. PE5 complexes of/or above S/P of 0.77 only exhibited a T_g. The T_g of PE5 complexes were found to change nonlinearly with S/P, while T_m1 changed linearly. T_m2 was independent of S/P. Only one complex with PE34 gave two transitions (T_m2,Tⁱ) in dynamic DSC experiments. Other PE34 complexes followed a behavior similar to PE5 complexes.     

Induction of smectic layering in nematic liquid crystals using immiscible components IV. The effect of bulky lateral carboxyl substituents on the thermotropic behaviour of 2,5-bis[4-(n-perfluoroheptyloctyloxy)benzoyloxy]toluene

Bulky lateral carboxylate substituents were introduced at the benzylic position of 2,5-bis[4-(n-perfluoroheptyloctyloxy)benzoyloxy]toluene by esterification of the corresponding benzyl bromide with potassium carboxylates. In spite of the bulky lateral substituents, none of the 2,5-bis[4-(n-perfluoroheptyloctyloxy)benzoyloxy]benzyl carboxylates exhibit a nematic mesophase in addition to, or instead of, the smectic mesophases. All of the crystalline and SmC-SmA transition temperatures and, with the exception of the 9-anthracene carboxylate derivative, all of the isotropization temperatures of the resulting 2,5-bis[4-(n-perfluoroheptyloctyloxy)benzoyloxy]benzyl carboxylates are lower than those of the parent toluene compound. The SmC-SmA transition decreases the most, thereby stabilizing the SmA mesophase. In most cases, the SmC mesophase is destabilized from an enantiotropic to a monotropic mesophase. There is no correlation between any of the transition temperatures and the size of the lateral substituent.     

含氧化偶氮苯介晶基元共聚醚的合成与液晶行为

以1,6-二溴己烷(A)和1,10-二溴癸烷(B)为共缩聚单体,按不同摩尔配比与4,4'-二羟基氧化偶氮苯经相转移催化共聚醚化反应,合成了一系列主链上含有氧化偶氮苯介晶基元的共聚醚,它们均有好的液晶性,其取向膜观察到条带织构,当A/B的摩尔比为1时液晶态范围最宽。     

液晶聚芳醚酮的结构与性能研究

以联苯二酚、取代对苯二酚及含氟酮单体为原料 ,通过亲核取代反应 ,合成了系列具有液晶性的新型聚芳醚酮 .研究了聚合物分子结构与性能之间的关系 .由于结晶相是从有序的液晶相转化形成的 ,故侧基含量的增加对液晶聚合物的融熔转变温度无显著影响 .聚合物的液晶稳定性受侧基影响较大 ,含极性侧基的氯取代聚合物的液晶温区比含大空阻侧基的聚合物的液晶温区小得多 ,说明空间几何因素比极性因素对液晶稳定性的影响大 .不同分子量聚合物有不同的液晶有序结构 ,低分子量聚合物具有高有序液晶结构 ,而高分子量聚合物只有低有序的向列相结构 .     

Synthesis of two naphthyl-containing homologous series of mesogenic ligands and the related metallomesogens containing Cu(II)

Two new naphthyl-containing homologous series of mesogenic ligands, the 4-n-alkoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene-2'-naphthylamines (series I) and 4(4'-n-alkoxybenzoyloxy)-2-hydroxybenzylidene-2'-naphthylamines (series II), as well as the related metallomesogens of higher homologues containing a Cu(II) atom, have been synthesized. All the ligands and complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and standard spectroscopic methods. In series I, n-heptyloxy and n-octyloxy derivatives are non-mesogenic whereas the remaining higher members synthesized exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. In series II, all the members synthesized exhibit an enantiotropic nematic mesophase. All the metallomesogens of series I synthesized exhibit a monotropic smectic A mesophase, except for the n-octyloxy derivative, which is non-mesogenic, whereas metallomesogens of series II exhibit enantiotropic nematic mesophases up to the n-tetradecyloxy derivatives; the n-tetradecyloxy and n-hexadecyloxy derivatives also exhibit smectic C mesophases. All the members of series II and their metallomesogens exhibit mesophases with wide temperature ranges and greater thermal stability as compared to series I and their metallomesogens, respectively. The mesomorphic properties of both the present series and their metallomesogens are compared with each other and with other structurally related series to evaluate the effect of the naphthalene moiety on mesomorphism.     

Synthesis and thermotropic behaviour of liquid crystals containing tolane-based mesogenic units

Tolane-based liquid crystal materials with three different terminal groups: trifluoromethyltolanes, cyanotolanes, and nitrotolanes, and with different chain lengths of alkenyloxy groups, have been synthesized. The phase behaviour of these liquid crystal materials has been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mesophase behaviour of the materials was shown to be significantly influenced by the polarity of the terminal groups. The trifluoromethyltolanes exhibit an enantiotropic smectic E mesophase and the cyanotolanes exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. The most polar among the three types of liquid crystal material; the nitrotolanes do not display any liquid crystalline phases, except for the homologue with an eleven methylene unit chain.     

Mesogenic random copolymers. II. Copolymers with one flexible and two rigid segments

We have investigated copolyesters based on a single aliphatic dibasic acid flexible segment and two rigid segments arising from 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl (PB) and 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene (PN). Homopolyesters based on the latter rigid segment exhibit no enantiotropic mesophase for 5 ≤ n ≤ 8. The copolymers are designated PBN-n where n is the number of methylene units in the dibasic acid. From the temperature–composition phase diagram, the odd-membered PBN-5 and PBN-7 exhibit only a nematic phase. The temperature range of the nematic phase decreases progressively with increasing mole fraction of naphthalene units. The even-membered PBN-6 and PBN-8 exhibit a smectic S_H mesophase and a newly induced nematic phase. Comparison with a previous study of copolymers involving a single rigid segment and two flexible segments reveals that the smectic S_H phase is more easily disrupted, and converted to a less ordered nematic phase, by different rigid segments than by different flexible segments. The isotropization entropy of a series of nematogenic equimolar copolymers exhibits a marked odd–even effect, with the observed ΔS_NI values being quite large for the even-membered copolymers.     

液晶金属配位聚合物的合成及性能

基于国内外最新研究文献 ,系统论述了近年来液晶金属配位聚合物的合成方法、液晶行为及应用前景。指出液晶金属配位聚合物的合成方法可归纳为直接配位法、单体配位法、交联配位法和聚合物反应法四种。液晶金属配位聚合物一般呈现热致液晶行为 ,显示稳定的向列液晶相或近晶液晶相。有些金属配位聚合物还呈现互变性近晶态或单变液晶性。液晶金属配位聚合物具有金属的特殊性质 ,是一种新型高性能磁导、电导和光导材料 ,可望应用于液晶显示材料、磁性信息储存薄膜材料、润滑剂和各向异性催化剂等。     

Liquid crystal polymers containing macroheterocyclic ligands. III. Side chain liquid crystalline polymethacrylates containing mesogenic units based on diarylacetylenes and benzo-15-crown-5

The synthesis and polymerization of 4′-[4-ethynyl-1-(11-methacryloylundecan-1-yloxy) benzene] benzo-15-crown-5 ( 8 ), 4′-[4-ethynyl-4′-(11-methacryloylundecan-1-yloxy) biphenyl] benzo-15-crown-5 ( 15 ), 4′-[2-ethynyl-6-(11-methacryloylundecan-1-yloxy) naphthalene] benzo-15-crown-5 ( 24 ), and 4′-[2-ethynyl-6-(11-methacryloylundecan-1-yloxy)naphthalene]-5′-ethylbenzo-15-crown-5 ( 35 ) is described. The synthesis and characterization of 4′-[4-(4-ethynyl-1-(2-ethynyl-6-(6-hydroxyhexan-1-yloxy)naphthathalene)benzene]) benzo-15-crown-5 ( 29 ) is also presented. Both monomers and polymers were characterized for their mesomorphic behavior. 8 , poly( 8 ), and 15 are crystalline. Due to the insolubility of 15 , poly( 15 ) could not be synthesized. 24 is crystalline, while poly( 24 ) displays a monotropic nematic mesophase. 29 exhibits also a monotropic nematic mesophase. 35 is crystalline, while poly( 35 ) displays an enantiotropic nematic mesophase which is kinetically controlled due to its close proximity to the glass transition temperature.     

Synthesis and thermotropic behaviour of liquid crystals containing tolane-based mesogenic units

Abstract

Tolane-based liquid crystal materials with three different terminal groups: trifluoromethyltolanes, cyanotolanes, and nitrotolanes, and with different chain lengths of alkenyloxy groups, have been synthesized. The phase behaviour of these liquid crystal materials has been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mesophase behaviour of the materials was shown to be significantly influenced by the polarity of the terminal groups. The trifluoromethyltolanes exhibit an enantiotropic smectic E mesophase and the cyanotolanes exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. The most polar among the three types of liquid crystal material; the nitrotolanes do not display any liquid crystalline phases, except for the homologue with an eleven methylene unit chain.     

Synthesis and Liquid Crystalline Properties of 3-Substituted Pentane-2,4-dione, Pyrazole and Isoxazole Derivatives

The γ-substituted β-diketonate 2,4-dioxo-3-pentyl 4-[4-（n-octyloxy）cinnamoyl]oxybenzoate 1 and its pyrazole and isoxazole derivatives （2 and 3 respectively） have been synthesized and characterized by the spectroscopic methods and elemental analysis. The mesogenic properties of these compounds have been studied by polarizing optical microscopy （POM） and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. A monotropic nematic mesophase was observed for the β-diketonate 1, in contrast, the pyrazole 2 displays an enantiotropic smectic A and isoxazole 3 exhibits an enantiotropic nematic mesophase. The relationship between the structure and liquid crystalline properties has also been discussed.     

一种新型甲壳型液晶高分子的设计与合成

甲壳型液晶高分子是我国科学家最早设计和合成、受到国际学术界广泛关注的一类新型液晶高分子[1～ 6 ] .迄今已合成出 1 0个系列 1 0 0多种甲壳型液晶高分子 ,其中多数以乙烯基氢醌 [7] 、乙烯基对苯二胺 [8] 、乙烯基对苯二甲酸 [9] 和 2 -羟基 - 5-氨基苯乙烯 [10 ] 为关键中间体 .液晶核由 3个苯环以— COO—或— CONH—连接而成 .由于— COO—和— CONH—易与阳离子和阴离子相互作用 ,故已报道的甲壳型液晶高分子都是由自由基聚合反应制得 ,而很难用离子型聚合反应合成 .本文设计合成了一类未见文献报道的小分子液晶化合物 ,由此…     

Thermotropic homopolyesters. IV. Study of fiber formation

We report a melt spinning and viscosity study of two semiflexible homopolyesters containing both rigid and flexible segments in the repeating unit. Single filaments of the polyesters formed from 4,4′-diacetoxybiphenyl and azelaic acid (PB7) and sebacic acid (PB8), and from 4′-hydroxyphenyl-4-hydroxycinnamate and azelaic acid (C7), were spun at temperatures between 205 and 255°C. The temperature dependence of the Newtonian melt viscosity of PB7 and C7 was investigated, and a range of molecular weights was studied for PB7. The spinning parameters, fiber characteristics, and viscosity-temperature behavior are related to the type of mesophase formed. The mechanical properties of fibers spun from both the nematic and smectic phases of these semiflexible chain polymers were poor. Increasing the polymer molecular weight or extrusion rate only afforded a modest improvement in fiber properties. Most polymers could not be spun at temperatures corresponding to the existence of the single mesophase. Hence the low viscosity typical of the nematic mesophase is not necessarily an advantage in fiber formation from the melt. It appears from these results that this type of polyester does not possess adequate chain extension to develop ultrahigh-modulus properties. The director, which describes the local orientation of molecules within the mesophase, may undergo more frequent variations than is the case for rigid chain polyesters. Mechanisms relevant to flexible polymers may contribute to the development of orientation for this class of nematogenic melts.     

Influence of molecular weight and polydispersity on phase behaviour of polyesters with laterally fixed or cross-shaped mesogens

To supplement previous studies of polyesters with laterally attached and cross-shaped mesogens the influence of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution on the phase behaviour has been investigated. For that purpose two polyesters have been fractionated by preparative gel permeation chromatography under high pressure and observed by polarizing microscopy and DSC measurements. A monotropic nematic polyester with laterally attached mesogens shows changing phase transitions up to a molecular weight of 10 000 (M_w); at higher molecular weight only the clearing transition is still slightly influenced. The molecular weight distribution at an average molecular weight of 15 000 (M_w) has no influence on the melting and clearing temperatures, but does effect recrystallization. The tendency to recrystallize decreases with increasing polydispersity, with increasing aberration from a monomodal molecular weight distribution. The recrystallization and the melting enthalpy are most distinguished at molecular weights around 12 000 (M_w) and crystallization disappears at molecular weights under about 5000 (M_w). In this way, fractions with stable nematic phases are obtained. Additionally, the broadness of the biphasic region shows a distinct dependence on molecular weight. Clearing temperatures show the most significant dependence on the molecular weight of an enantiotropic polyester with crossshaped mesogens dropping significantly below a molecular weight of about 20 000 (M_w). Oligomers with molecular weights below 10 000 (M_w) do not exhibit a mesophase. Polyesters with laterally attached mesogens as well as with crossshaped mesogens show no new liquid-crystalline phases by varying the molecular weight or the molecular weight distribution.     

Phase behavior of some mono-substituted ferrocene- and [3]ferrocenophane-containing nematics with the cyclohexane ring in the rigid core

Generally, incorporation of the cyclohexane rings into the rigid core of rod-like mesogens leads to improved technological parameters, i.e. low viscosity, ambient transition temperatures and stability of the nematic state. Taking this into consideration, a series of novel cyclohexane-containing derivatives of ferrocene has been synthesized. The effect of various structural factors on liquid crystalline behavior of the synthesized ferrocene-containing nematics has been examined. Ferrocenophane compounds exhibited enhanced liquid crystalline properties in comparison with the derivatives of unbridged ferrocene. Depending on thermal prehistory of the samples, some of the synthesized ferrocenomesogens showed remarkable migration of the phase transition temperatures. In one case such behavior led to stabilization of the initially monotropic nematic mesophase in subsequent heating cycles. In another case, the phase transition shifts caused the lowering of the crystal-to-nematic transition temperature and the broadening of the mesophase range. There was also a case of alteration from the initially enantiotropic to monotropic behavior. The obtained novel metallomesogens are important footsteps toward the development of low-viscous and low-temperature materials for liquid crystal applications possessing a chromophoric, redox-switchable, polarizable and chemically stable superaromatic ferrocene unit.     

Thermotropic liquid crystal polyesters derived from 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and oxyalkylene spacers

Several polyesters derived from bibenzoic acid and oxyalkylene glycols have been prepared and the ability of formation of mesophases was studied. The phase behaviour was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and real-time variable-temperature small-angle X-ray diffraction. A common feature of all the studied polyesters, with ether groups in the spacer, is the inhibited ability for developing three-dimensional structures, in contrast to the polymers with all-methylene spacers. Moreover, the latter polymers show a monotropic mesophase behaviour but the former exhibit an enantiotropic transformation. Smectic structures of different types have been detected: The polyester derived from 3,3'-oxybis(1-propanol) produces a smectic S_A structure, while the polyester from triethylene glycol leads to a smectic S_C mesophase. The influence of the spacers on the dynamic mechanical relaxations of these polybibenzoates has been studied and discussed.     

Liquid crystalline epoxy thermosets based on dihydroxymethylstilbene: Synthesis and characterization

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of a new series of liquid crystalline thermosets. Nematic epoxy-terminated oligoethers based on dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene were synthesized for this study. These prepolymers were crosslinked within the nematic mesophase using methylenedianiline. Depending upon the molecular weight and polydispersity of the oligoether, the crosslinking reaction resulted in networks with either a smectic or nematic molecular organization in contrast to the simple nematic phase of the oligoether. The formation of a smectic-like structure on curing was found to be related to the breadth of the prepolymer molecular weight. In those networks with a low crosslink density a clearing transition could be observed, whereas in the more highly crosslinked networks the molecular organization was frozen in until decomposition. The glass transition temperature of these LC networks rose as the crosslink density was increased, ranging from 35 to 152°C. In agreement with theory, the clearing transition of the networks was found to be dependent on the phase state during curing © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.