SYNTHESIS AND MESOMORPHIC BEHAVIOR OF POLY(METHYLSILOXANE)S CONTAINING TRANS-CYCLOHEXANE-BASED MESOGENIC SIDE GROUPS

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of poly(methylsiloxane)s containing either trans-4-methylcyclohexyl 4-alkenyloxybenzoate or trans-4-methylcyclohexyl 4'-alkenyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate mesogenic side groups are presented. All polymers except two which contain either trans-4-methylcyclohexyl 4-allyloxybenzoate or transmethylcyclohexyl 4-(5-hexene-1-yloxy)benzoate side groups, display liquid crystalline phases. The dependence of phase trasition temperature on the spacer length and the mesogenic core length as well as the thermal stalility of the prepared liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) are described.