The synthesis and characterization of a new class of liquid crystalline polymers based on s-triazine

The synthesis and characterization of a new class of liquid crystalline alternating copolymers based on s-triazine rings, connected by flexible alkyldiamine spacers and other selected bridging groups is reported. The propensity of the system to demonstrate liquid crystallinity as a function of the bridging group is investigated. Unexpectedly, the homopolymer of the triazine ring connected by a flexible alkyldiamine spacer is also a liquid crystalline polymer. A new polymerization technique is reported in which the alkyldiamine serves the dual role of monomer and proton acceptor. These polymers form liquid crystalline glasses which are transparent and have good mechanical properties. This suggests that they could be interesting materials to be further studied in the context of non-linear optics.