| Abstract: | Rigid‐chain metallomesogenic polymers containing Cu(II) or VO(II) were prepared and characterized. All the polymers were soluble and melted without decomposition. They showed a thermotropic liquid–crystal (LC) behavior, and the mesophases were invariably preserved for a long time at room temperature in a metastable condition, with respect to the semicrystalline state. The nature of the mesophases of the Cu(II)‐containing polymers was similar to that observed in analogous organic rigid‐chain polymers having long lateral alkyl chains packed as extended ribbons. The VO(II)‐containing polymers showed an LC polymorphism involving a smectic A and a nematic phase. For all the polymers in a smectic or smecticlike state at room temperature, X‐ray diffraction data suggested short mean distances among the metal ions arranged in layers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2342–2349, 2001 |
