New liquid crystal polymers with 1,3-dithiane or 1,3-dioxane rings

Abstract

New polymerizable liquid crystal materials: 10-{4-[5-alkyl-1,3-dithian-2-yl]phenyloxy}decylmethacrylates (10) and 10-{4-[5-alkyl-1,3-dioxan-2-yl]phenyloxy}decylmethacrylates (11) were synthesized and converted into polymers. The mesomorphic behaviour of these compounds was measured. Though the 1,3-dithiane-type monomer did not exhibit any liquid crystal phases, the corresponding polymer exhibited the schlieren texture of a nematic liquid crystal phase at around room temperature (for example 11-1: G30N76I). To exhibit a nematic liquid crystal phase at around room temperature is a principal feature of these 1,3-dithiane type polymer. The corresponding 1,3-dioxane-type polymer exhibited the focal conic fan textures of a smectic A phase (for example 10-1: Cr80 S_A 101 I).