Synthesis and mesomorphism of the liquid crystal based on diosgenyl end-capped polycarbonate

ABSTRACT

To enhance the activity of the hydroxyl group of diosgenin, the diosgenyl derivative Dios–(CH₂)₆–OH with an alkyl spacer and end primary hydroxyl group was synthesised via the chain extension reaction between diosgenin and 1,6-hexanediol. Then the liquid crystal (LC) compounds Dios–(CH₂)₆–(trimethylene carbonate [TMC])_n with different TMC content were obtained via the ring-opening polymerisation of TMC with Dios–(CH₂)₆–OH as initiator and mesogenic unit, importantly, there was no catalyst added. The chemical structures of the Dios–(CH₂)₆–OH and Dios–(CH₂)₆–(TMC)_n were characterised by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and ¹H NMR. The mesomorphism was characterised by polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurement, and the phase transition was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that Dios–(CH₂)₆–(TMC)_n displayed an enantiotropic smectic phase, and TMC content played an important role in the LC properties of Dios–(CH₂)₆–(TMC)_n. The higher the TMC content, the lower the phase transition temperature of Dios–(CH₂)₆–(TMC)_n.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Liquid crystal
• diosgenyl derivative
• poly(trimethylene carbonate)
• ring-opening polymerisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (2016YFC1000902), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51503093), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (N160504001, N160503001), Department of Science & Technology of Liaoning Province (2018225079, 20180037), and the Shenyang Science and Technology Bureau (RC170359).