POLYMERIZATION OF MONOSUBSTITUTED ACETYLENES WITH A LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE MOIETY BY ZIEGLER-NATTA AND METATHESIS CATALYSTS

Polymerization of five monomers, 1-[p-(trans-4'-alkylcyclohexyl)phenoxy]alkyne (i.e., PCH001A, where PCH, 0, 01 and A represent phenylcyclohexyl mesogenic moiety, number of carbon in an alkyl group attached to cyclohexyl group, ether linkage + number of methylenic units in the spacer between phenoxy and acetylenic groups, and terminal acetylene, respectively) were carried out using Ziegler-Natta and metathesis catalysts. All polymers were soluble in organic solvents such as benzene, chloroform, and THF. A liquid crystalline phase was observed in the polymers of PCH303A and PCH503A through the polarized optical microscope and DSC measurements. Polymerization of PCH003A by the Fe(acac)3- AlEt3 catalyst yielded a high-molecular-weight polymer with M(w) = ca. 3 X 10(6). (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.