Structural organization of polar-group-containing polymers in the molten state

Model compounds in which flexible polymethylenic sequences of variable length alternate with -NH₂-ZnX₂- groups were characterized both in the crystalline and in the molten state, in order to evaluate the effect of regularly distributed dipoles on the melting behavior of linear flexible chains. Microphase segregation of the polar groups was observed resulting in the formation of smectic mesophases or of smectic-like fluids. Possible analogies with the structural organization of (fx224-1) dipole-containing polymers and ionomers are briefly discussed.