Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline copolyesters containing horizontal and lateral rods in main chain

A series of liquid crystalline copolyesters containing both horizontal and lateral rods in main chain were synthesized through solution polymerization of 2,5-bis(4-alkoxy benzoyloxy)hydroquinone. 4,4'-dihydroxy-x,omega-dipheanoxydecane These copolyesters were soluble in common organic solvents, showed thermotropic nematic liquid crystallinity that can be easily obtained at room temperature, thereby making them processable at relatively low temperatures in their high-ordered liquid crystalline states where they are thermally stable. Their thermal transitions can be well adjusted by judiciously controlling the attachment content of lateral rods, and their thermal behaviors were well examined. All synthesized polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (CPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.