The synthesis and the phase behaviour of liquid crystalline main chain polymers are described. In these poly- and copolyesters the mesogenic units are linked by highly flexible oligodimethylsiloxane spacers. The comparison of their phase behaviour with that of polyesters known from the literature shows that dimethylsiloxane spacers as a replacement for alkyl spacers are leading to a drastic decrease of the transition temperatures. Depending on the length of the spacer glass transitions as low as −111°C can be achieved. The widths of the liquid crystalline phases thereby are retained up to a spacerlength of 13 oxydimethylsilanediyl (dimethylsiloxane) units. The homopolyesters mainly show sme…

Thermotropic polyesters with mesogenic groups based on substituted hydroquinone units and highly flexible siloxan spacer in the main chain

New thermotropic Polyesters having mesogenic groups based on substituted hydroquinone units and highly flexible oligosiloxan spacer in the main chain, are synthesized and characterized. The mesophase formed at low temperature are studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy. The liquid crystalline behaviour of these polyesters, particulary their transition temperatures and the mesophase width could be explained on the basis of their structural features.

Strukturuntersuchung von Polyestern durch direkten Abbau im massenspektrometer, 5. Polyester aus Terephthalsäure und/oder Bernsteinsäure und Hydrochinon

The structure and thermal degradation behaviour of polyesters from terephthalic and/or succinic acid and hydroquinone were investigated by pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Poly(oxysuccinyloxy-1,4-phenylene) (2) undergoes cleavage of the ester bond (Eq. (vii)) as a very selective pyrolysis mechanism at 310°C, whereas the thermally more stable poly(oxyterephthaloyloxy-1,4-phenylene) (1) starts to degrade above 400°C and yields pyrolysis products with phenyl (Eq. (iv)), p-hydroxyphenyl (Eq. (iii)), benzoyl (Eq. (iiv)) and carboxylic end groups. A calibration curve of the intensities of monomer specific fragments, obtained from pyrolysis mass spectra of polyesters from terephthalic acid, succinic a…