X-ray diffraction study of a polybutadiene, side chain, mesomorphic polymer

A side chain, mesomorphic polymer has been synthesized, starting from a commercial polybutadiene main chain. A preliminary X-ray diffraction study shows the influence of the degree of substitution and the spacer length on the interdigited S_A layer thickness, particularly for strongly polar alkoxycyanobiphenyl mesogens. Some hypotheses are deduced about the particular odd-even effect observed with this backbone and on the conformation of the main and side chains.