| Abstract: | The synthesis and “living” cationic polymerization of 3-fluoro-4′-(11-vinyloxyundecany-loxy)-4-biphenylyl (2R,3S)-2-fluoro-3-methylpentanoate ( 12-11 ) and 3-fluoro-4′-(8-vi-nyloxyoctyloxy)-4-biphenylyl (2R,3S)-2-fluoro-3-methylpentanoate ( 12-8 ) are presented. Poly ( 12-11 )s and poly ( 12-8 )s with degrees of polymerization from 4.0 to 16.5 and poly-dispersities ≤ 1.13 have been synthesized and characterized by differential scanning cal-orimetry (DSC) and thermal optical polarized microscopy. Over the entire range of molecular weights poly ( 12-11 )s and poly ( 12-8 )s exhibit an enantiotropic SA and an unidentified SX phase. In addition, regardless of its molecular weight, poly ( 12-8 ) exhibits a S*c phase in between the SA and Sx phases. Poly ( 12-11 ) and poly ( 12-8 ) show lower transition tem-peratures and broader temperature ranges of all their mesophases as compared to the corresponding polymers without a fluorine atom on the biphenyl group. The role of the connecting group between the biphenyl and chiral group of the mesogenic unit on the phase behavior of these polymers is also discussed. Copolymers of 12-8 with (2R,3S)-2-fluoro-3-methylpentyl 4′-(11-vinyloxyundecanyloxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate ( 13-11 ) {i.e., poly-( 12-8 )-co-( 13-11 )] (X/Y), where X/Y represents the molar ratio of monomer 12-8 to monomer 13-11 } with DP of ca. 11 and polydispersities lower than 1.23 were also syn-thesized and characterized. Their SA and S*c mesophases exhibit continuous dependences of composition and this support the assignment of the mesophases exhibited by poly ( 12-8 ). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
