Viscoelastic properties of dilute nematic mixtures containing cyclic and hyperbranched liquid crystal polymers dissolved in a nematic solvent

The twist and bend viscosities of dilute solutions of cyclic and hyperbranched liquid crystal polymers (LCP) dissolved in low molar mass nematic solvents were determined via dynamic light scattering analysis. These results were compared to those of linear chains with similar chemical repeat structures. The nematic solvent used was 4′-pentyloxy-4-cyanobiphenyl (50CB). The cyclic LCP oligomers, Cy TPB10, have a mesogenic group, 1-(4-hydroxy-4′-biphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butane, separated by flexible decamethylene spacers. The twist viscosity of the cyclic Cy-TPB10 oligomers increases with molecular weight more strongly than the linear, TPB-10, suggesting that the hydrodynamic behavior of Cy-TPB10 is closer to that of a rigid rod than TPB10. Surprisingly, the intrinsic bend viscosity [η_bend] of Cy-TPB10 decreases with molecular weight, in contrast to the positive dependence for linear TPB10. This may reflect the higher strain energy in the smaller ring sizes. The hyperbranched LCP, TPD-b-8, is also based on the mesogen 10-bromo-1-(4-hydroxy-4′-biphenyl)-2(4-hydroxyphenyl) decane but with octyl groups at the chain ends. We compare the viscoelastic behavior of dilute nematic solutions of TPD-b-8 in 50CB against that of a linear main-chain LCP, TPB7, with the same mesogenic group but with heptamethylene spacers. The viscometric properties of TPD-b-8/50CB and TPB7/50CB are quite different. The results suggest that each chain is prolate (i. e., R_∥ > R_⊥) but that TPD-b-8 has a smaller chain anisotropy than that of TPB7. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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.     

Liquid crystalline properties of a series of thermotropic copolyesters containing both mesogenic and nonmesogenic units

A series of copolymers containing triad ester mesogenic units, with pendent n-octyl substituents, and triad ester nonmesogenic units, both with flexible spacer groups, was prepared and characterized for the effect of the nonmesogenic unit content on transition temperatures and thermodynamic parameters. The mesophase temperature range increased, but temperature, enthalpy, and entropy of isotropization decreased in a linear manner with increasing nonmesogen comonomer content. The entropy of isotropization is considered to be a quantitative measure of the degree of order of the nematic phase, but this order may include both the amount and the order parameter of the mesophase if, as proposed, both the isotropic and nematic phase exist below the isotropization temperatures of the copolymers.     

Oligonucleosides with a Nucleobase‐Including Backbone. Part 11

A linear and a convergent synthesis of uridine‐derived backbone‐base‐dedifferentiated (backbone including) oligonucleotide analogues were compared. The Sonogashira cross‐coupling of the alkyne 1 and the iodide 2 gave the dimer 4 that was C‐desilylated and again coupled with 2 to give the trimer 6 (Scheme 1). Repeating this linear sequence led to the pentamer 10 . Coupling yields were satisfactory up to formation of the trimer 6 , but decreased for the coupling to higher oligomers. Similarly, coupling of the alkynes 5, 7 , and 9 with the iodouridine 3 gave, in decreasing yields, the trimer 12 , tetramer 13 , and pentamer 14 , respectively. The dimeric iodouracil 20 was synthesized by coupling the alkyne 17 with the iodide 16 to the dimer 18 , followed by iodination at C(6/I) to 19 and O‐silylation (Scheme 2). The iodinated dimer 23 was prepared by iodinating and O‐silylating the known dimer 21 . Coupling of 20 and 23 with the dimer 5 , trimer 7 , and tetramer 9 gave the tetramers 8 and 13 , the pentamers 10 and 14 , and the hexamer 15 , respectively (Scheme 3). The oligomers up to the pentamer 14 were deprotected to provide the trimer 24 , tetramer 25 , and pentamer 26 (Scheme 4). There was no evidence for the heteropairing of the pentamer 26 and rA₇ , nor for the pairing of rU₅ and rA₇, while a UV melting experiment showed the beginning of a sigmoid curve for the interaction of rU₇ with rA₇. Therefore, the pentamer 26 does not pair more strongly with rA₇ than rU₅.     

High fidelity self-sorting assembling of meso-cinchomeronimide appended meso-meso linked Zn(II) diporphyrins

In noncoordinating solvents, meso-cinchomeronimide appended Zn(II) porphyrin 2 forms a cyclic trimer, while diporphyrins 7 exhibit high-fidelity self-sorting assembling to form discrete cyclic trimer, tetramer, and pentamer with large association constants from 7(in-in), 7(in)(-)(out), and 7(out-out), respectively, through almost perfect discrimination of enantiomeric and conformational differences of the meso-cinchomeronimide substituents. In the latter self-sorting processes, the dihedral angles dictated by the two pyridyl nitrogen atoms control the size of the aggregates; the trimer from 7(in-in), the tetarmer from 7(in)(-)(out), and the pentamer from 7(out-out). Cyclic structures of (2)(3) and (R-7(out-out))(5) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Electric field effects on water clusters (n = 3-5): systematic ab initio study of structures, energetics, and transition states

The structures, energetics, and transition states of water clusters (trimer to pentamer, n = 3-5) are investigated as a function of electric field by using ab initio calculations. With an increasing strength of the field, the most stable cyclic structures of trimer, tetramer, and pentamer open up to align their dipole moments along the direction of the field. For the lower strength (below 0.3 V/angstroms) of the electric field, the dipole moment of each water monomer is along the same direction with the field, while it retains the cyclic structure. For the higher strength of the field, to have a higher dipole moment for the cluster along the field direction, each cyclic structure opens up to form a linear chain or "water wire." We have investigated the transition state structures between the cyclic and linear forms for the field strengths of 0.3-0.4 V/angstroms where both cyclic and linear forms are energetically comparable.     

聚(对苯二甲酸-1,3-丙二酯)环状低聚物的合成、表征和开环聚合反应

探索了由对苯二甲酰氯和1,3-丙二醇在“假高稀”条件下合成聚(对苯二甲酸-1,3-丙二酯)(PTT)环状低聚物的可行性.通过柱色谱分离了环状低聚物和线形低聚物;用核磁共振、质谱和元素分析表征了产物的化学结构;用GPC和HPLC研究了不同大小环的分布,发现在本文实验条件下合成的PTT环状低聚物主要由二、三、四、五和七聚体构成,其中环状三聚体含量最多,没有发现环状六聚体的存在.PTT环状低聚物的熔程为92.3～222.6℃,熔融后是无色、透明的低粘度液体.于250℃将PTT环状低聚物分别在辛酸亚锡、1-乙基-3-氯四丁基锡氧烷、钛酸四丁酯和三氧化二锑催化下进行开环聚合反应,制备了特性粘数为0.18～0.49dL/g的聚合物.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic characterization of azoesters with a coumarin ring

We have synthesized a homologous series of azoesters consisting of a coumaryl moiety as the end group. Eleven derivatives of this series exhibit mesomorphism. The nematic mesophase is exhibited from ethyl homologue onward, while the smectic phase commences at the pentyl derivative and is exhibited along with the nematic phase up to the hexadecyl derivative. The N-I transition temperatures curves show the usual odd-even effect. All the compounds in this series are thermally stable and exhibit a wide mesomorphic range of nearly 120°C. Their thermal stabilities and other characteristics are discussed.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic characterization of azoesters with a coumarin ring

We have synthesized a homologous series of azoesters consisting of a coumaryl moiety as the end group. Eleven derivatives of this series exhibit mesomorphism. The nematic mesophase is exhibited from ethyl homologue onward, while the smectic phase commences at the pentyl derivative and is exhibited along with the nematic phase up to the hexadecyl derivative. The N-I transition temperatures curves show the usual odd-even effect. All the compounds in this series are thermally stable and exhibit a wide mesomorphic range of nearly 120°C. Their thermal stabilities and other characteristics are discussed.     

Coexistence of nematic and chiral nematic phases of an achiral liquid crystal trimer possessing an octafluorobiphenyl unit

We prepared some achiral flexible liquid crystal oligomers possessing an octafluorobiphenyl unit and investigated their phase transition properties using polarising optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. All the compounds showed nematic phases. The trimer with even-numbered spacers was found to exhibit coexistence of the nematic regions and the chiral nematic regions with opposite twist senses of a sample contained in a homogeneous aligned cell during a cooling process, whilst that with odd-numbered spacers did not. We discuss how the even-numbered trimer produces the helical state.     

New liquid crystalline di- and tetra-acrylates for network formation

New liquid crystalline diacrylates and tetra-acrylates containing four to six aromatic rings were synthesized and characterized, and their mesophase behaviour was investigated. They are designed to be used in combination with chiral molecules to form cholesteric mesophases which can be crosslinked by photopolymerization. The acrylates presented exhibit broad mesophase ranges since mesogenic moieties longer than three are employed. Most diacrylates show no isotropization, due to premature thermal polymerization above 180°C. Additionally, liquid crystalline dipropionates were synthesized as reference compounds which cannot be crosslinked, and selected examples of these exhibit isotropization temperatures as high as 238°C prior to thermal degradation. Substituents at the mesogenic moiety have a great influence on the mesophase characteristics. Bulky substituents such as the tert-butyl group, induce a nematic mesophase, whereas compounds with small substituents (e.g. OCH3) or unsubstituted molecules also exhibit smectic phases. Tetra-acrylates with unsubstituted and substituted mesogenic units feature nematic mesophases only as a result of the additional spacers attached. Here isotropization was observed without polymerization at temperatures around 120-160°C.     

New liquid crystalline di- and tetra-acrylates for network formation

New liquid crystalline diacrylates and tetra-acrylates containing four to six aromatic rings were synthesized and characterized, and their mesophase behaviour was investigated. They are designed to be used in combination with chiral molecules to form cholesteric mesophases which can be crosslinked by photopolymerization. The acrylates presented exhibit broad mesophase ranges since mesogenic moieties longer than three are employed. Most diacrylates show no isotropization, due to premature thermal polymerization above 180°C. Additionally, liquid crystalline dipropionates were synthesized as reference compounds which cannot be crosslinked, and selected examples of these exhibit isotropization temperatures as high as 238°C prior to thermal degradation. Substituents at the mesogenic moiety have a great influence on the mesophase characteristics. Bulky substituents such as the tert-butyl group, induce a nematic mesophase, whereas compounds with small substituents (e.g. OCH3) or unsubstituted molecules also exhibit smectic phases. Tetra-acrylates with unsubstituted and substituted mesogenic units feature nematic mesophases only as a result of the additional spacers attached. Here isotropization was observed without polymerization at temperatures around 120-160°C.     

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.     

Ab initio studies on hydrogen-bonded clusters. I. Linear and cyclic oligomers of hydrogen cyanide

Large-scale ab initio calculations have been performed on linear and cyclic oligomers of hydrogen cyanide molecules applying basis sets ranging from double-zeta to near-Hartree-Fock quality. Equilibrium geometries of linear (HCN)_n clusters with n = 1 to 5 and of cyclic clusters with n = 3, 4 are reported. For most of the complexes complete vibrational analysis has been carried out. In agreement with recent experimental data the linear HCN trimer was found to be more stable than the cyclic trimer. In case of the tetramer linear and cyclic structures are of comparable stability. The structural changes taking place upon polymerization of linear HCN clusters and the convergence of various stage properties to those of the infinite polymer (HCN)_∞ are discussed in detail. The evolution from vibrational spectra of small oligomers to phonon dispersion curves of the infinite polymer is illustrated too.     

Determination of the changes of the basic structures of silica species in dependence on the concentration of sodium chloride by FAB-MS

The chemical species of silica in NaCl solutions of different concentrations were identified by FAB-MS (fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry). The basic structures of silica species, such as cyclic pentamer (Si5 (OH)9O6-), linear pentamer (Sis(OH)11O5-), cyclic hexamer (Si6(OH)9O8-, Si6(OH)11O7-) and linear hexamer (Si6(OH)14 O6-), were identified, in addition to dimer (Si2(OH)5O2-), trimer (Si3(OH)7O3-) and cyclic tetramer (Si4(OH)7O5-). The patterns of changes of the peak intensities of the silicate complexes relative to the dimer with increasing NaCl concentration were classified into two types: that represented by linear silicate complexes and the other by cyclic silicate complexes. The differences in the type of chemical species and their changes according to the NaCl concentration reflect the number of bonds necessary for polymerization and hydrolysis of the silica complexes. The differences between the linear and the cyclic silicate type have some implications on the dissolution mechanism of silicate complexes, the hydration of the molecules and the equilibrium between solubility, hydrolysis, polymerization and the salting-out effect in NaCl solution.     

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.     

Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. 25. Transformation of a monotropic mesophase into an enantiotropic one by increasing the molecular weight of the polymer and by copolymerization

The influence of molecular weight on thermal transitions and on the thermodynamic parameters was studied for two polymers based on 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene with either 1,9-dibromononane (HMS-C9 polyethers) or 1,11-dibromoundecane (HMS-C11 polyethers). HMS-C9 polyethers present an enantiotropic nematic mesophase over the entire range of molecular weights and a monotropic smectic mesophase for polymers of number average molecular weights higher than 17,000. The low molecular weight HMS-C11 polyethers are only crystalline. On increasing their molecular weight, the polymers become monotropic nematics, and at higher molecular weights, enantiotropic nematics. Up to a composition containing as little as 20 mol % nonane structural units, the random copolyethers based on 1,9-dibromononane, 1,11-dibromoundecane, and 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-methylstilbene (HMS-C9/11 copolyethers) exhibit on cooling a phase diagram resembling that of HMS-C9 polyether. HMS-C9/11 containing about a 1/1 mole ratio between the two spacers presents both smectic and nematic enantiotropic mesophases. These results suggest that the phase diagram of random liquid crystalline copolymers is controlled by the shorter spacer. The thermodynamic parameters of isotropization for both polyethers and copolyethers are compared and suggest that copolymerization does not significantly decrease the degree of order of the mesogenic units in the mesomorphic phase.     

Synthesis,characterization, and ring opening polymerization of poly(1,4‐cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) cyclic oligomers

Cyclic oligomers of poly(1,4‐cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT) were prepared by reaction of 1,4‐cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) with terephthaloyl chloride under diluted conditions and separated from the linear products by silica gel column at a yield of 23.7 wt %. Cyclic dimer, trimer, tetramer, pentamer, and hexamer were further separated by high performance liquid chromatography, and found to constitute 98% of the cyclics mixtures. The structures of PCT cyclics were confirmed by means of mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and ¹H NMR analysis. A series of experiments were carried out to study the effects of catalysts and cis/trans configuration of isomers of CHDM on the yield of cyclic oligomers. Ring opening polymerization of the cyclic oligomers was carried out by heating the sample mixtures at 310 °C for 30 min in the presence of antimony oxide. Polymerization was confirmed by inherent viscosity changes and infrared spectra of the resulting polyesters. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1828–1833, 2000     

Synthesis and characterization of a series of side chain chiral smectic liquid crystalline elastomers

A series of new chiral smectic liquid crystalline elastomers was prepared by graft polymerization of a nematic monomer with a chiral and non-mesogenic crosslinking agent, using polymethylhydrosiloxane as backbone. The chemical structures of the monomers and polymers obtained were confirmed by FTIR and ¹H NMR. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Monomer M₁ showed a nematic phase during heating and cooling. Polymer P₀ exhibited a smectic B phase; elastomers P₁-P₃ showed the smectic A phase, P₄-P₆ showed a chiral smectic C(SmC*), and P₇ displayed stress-induced birefringence. Elastomers containing less than 15 mol % M₂ displayed elasticity, reversible phase transitions with wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability. With increasing content of the crosslinking unit, glass transition temperatures first increased, then fell, then increased again; isotropization temperatures and mesophase temperature ranges steadily decreased.     

Synthesis and characterization of side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from chiral bisolefinic crosslinking units

In this work we prepared a nematic monomer (4'-allyloxybiphenyl 4'-ethoxybenzoate, M₁), a chiral crosslinking agent (isosorbide 4-allyloxybenzoyl bisate, M₂) and a series of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M₁ and M₂. The chemical structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effect of the content of the crosslinking unit on phase behaviour of the elastomers is discussed. Polymer P₁ showed a nematic phase, P₂-P₇ showed a cholesteric phase; P₆ formed a blue Grandjean texture over a broad temperature range 145-209.6°C, with no changed on the cooling. Polymers P₄-P₇, with more than 6 mol % of chiral crosslinking agent, gave rise to selective reflection. Elastomers containing less than 15 mol % of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, reversible phase transition with wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability. Experimental results demonstrated that, with increasing content of crosslinking agent, the glass transition temperatures first fell and then increased; the isotropization temperatures and mesophase temperature ranges decreased.