SYNTHESIS OF SIDE-CHAIN LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE POLYACRYLATES, POLYMETHACRYLATES AND POLYSILOXANES CONTAINING 4-CYANO-BIPHENYL 4-ALKANYLOXYBENZYL ETHER SIDE GROUPS

The synthesis and characterization of side-chain liquid crystalline polyacrylates, polymethacrylates and polysiloxanes containing 4-cyanobiphenyl 4-alkanyloxybenzyl ether side groups are presented. All polymers display respectively a smectic A mesophase. The influence of the polymer backbone flexibility on the phase transition temperatures of the synthesized side-chain liquid crystalline polymers is discussed. The results demonstrate that flexible backbones enhance the decoupling of the motions of the side chain and main chain. Therefore, among three kinds of polymer backbones which contain the same mesogenic side groups, the most flexible one, i.e., polysiloxane, reveals a highest isotropization temperature and a widest temperature range of mesophase.