MESOMORPHIC BEHAVIOR OF ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS CONTAINING CU(II) OR PD(II) COORDINATED SPECIES

The synthesis and the characterization of the phase behaviour of a set of three polymers of 4,4'-[1,2-bis-(2-oxy-ethoxy)ethane]bis(benzoic a cid) with bis[N-[[2,4-dihydroxyphenyl]methylene]al amino]copper(II) wh ich differ in the length of the alkylamino groups and of a homologous set of palladium(II)-containing polymers are reported. Nematic mesomor phism was exhibited by all the polymers in a monotropic way (with one exception). The thermal stability of the mesophase, which, not unexpec tedly, is higher for palladium-containing polymers, decreases within e ach set with increasing length of the alkylamino groups. X-ray diffrac tion indicated the occurrence in some cases of a smectic C-like mesoph ase at room temperature.