Synthesis of Liquid-Crystalline Star Polymers with Sulfonyl Groups in the Central Core and Selective Degradation of their Cores by Base

Abstract

Star polymers with sulfonyl groups in the central core were prepared by ATRP and the degradation of their cores was investigated. The core of the star polymer was efficiently and selectively decomposed by piperidine. Furthermore, the star polymer with mesogens in the side chain showed almost the same LC-isotropic phase transition temperature as the resulting degradation product, demonstrating the independence of polymer architecture on LC properties.

Keywords:

• Atom transfer radical polymerization
• degradable initiators
• liquid crystals
• star polymers
• sulfonyl groups