Liquid-crystalline properties of chiral malolactonate monomers and their comb-shaped polymers

A series of optically pure mesogenic ester precursors, and the malolactonate monomers containing mesogenic alcohols obtained from them were prepared and polymerized to homopolymers and copolymers. The liquid-crystalline properties of the precursors, monomers and polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy and wide angle X-ray diffraction. The liquid-crystalline properties of the chiral mesogenic precursors and monomers were only slightly influenced by the chemical structure, configuration and the alkyl spacer length of the mesogenic alcohol substituent of the ester. The precursor, 1-[6-(4'-hexyloxy-4-biphenylyl)oxyhexyl] hydrogen (S)-O-mesylmalate (V-(S)-6) formed smectic E and smectic A phases on melting, while the monomer, 6-(4'-hexyloxy-4-biphenylyl)oxyhexyl (R)-malolactonate (II-(R)-6) showed only a crystal-isotropic phase transition. In contrast, the homopolymer of the latter exhibited a chiral smectic C phase. Copolymers from 2-(4'-hexyloxy-4-biphenylyl)oxyethyl (R)-malolactonate (II-(R)-2) also formed chiral smectic C phases.