Abstract
Polymers of 10,12-docosadiyne-1,22-dioic acid with different mesogenic groups have been prepared. The mesogenic groups were diphenyl (Polymer I); p-diphenylazoxy (Polymer 11); 2,2′-dimethyldiphenylazoxy (Polymer III); 2-methyldiphenylazomethine (Polymer IV) and α-methylstilbene (Polymer V).
All polymers crystallized extensively at room temperature, but only polymers I and V have displayed an enantiotropic smectic mesophase. The X-ray diffractograms were consistent with a smectic H mesophase for both polymers. Polymers I and V differed also from polymers 11-IV by enhanced reactivity of the diacetylenic moiety. A model for chain packing consistent with the X-ray diffraction pattern of the crystalline and the smectic phase is proposed.