Asymmetrically branched alkyl spacers in liquid‐crystalline poly(alkylene 4,4′‐terephthaloyldioxydibenzoate)s

Abstract

Abstract Poly[oxy‐(1,4‐dimethyltetramethylene)oxycarbonyl‐1,4‐phenyleneoxyterephthaloyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenecarbonyl] ( 1 ) was synthesized for the first time, and its thermal behaviour was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, thermooptical microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The crystal to liquid‐crystal and the mesophase to isotropic transition temperatures are lower by ca. 100°C than the values reported for the unsubstituted polymer. Moreover, the formation of a three‐dimensional order is hindered in the case of the polymer with lateral substituents and can only be achieved by long annealing times.