Supramolecular hexagonal structure of a segmented liquid crystalline polyester with allyl group as lateral substituent

The molecular structure of the phase—stable at room temperature—for the polymer with formula  p C₆H₄ COO p C₆H₃(R) p C₆H₃(R) OOC p C₆H₄ O (CH₂)₁₀O ]_x, with R =  CH₂ CHCH₂, is reported. The cell is hexagonal (a = b = 13.43 Å, c = 33.3 Å, γ = 120°), space group P6₃, six chains per unit cell (d_calcd = 1.23 g cm⁻³). The six chains are packed together to give a bundle with the center of mass set at the origin of the unit cell. The allyl groups are placed inside the bundle, thus explaining the unexpected reactivity of the double bonds to give crosslinking when fiber samples are annealed in the solid state. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1601–1607, 1999