Liquid crystalline polymers are currently among the most widely studie
d classes of polymeric materials. The correlation of mesophase and liq
uid crystalline polymer molecular structures with observable physico-c
hemical properties is a major objective. In this work, inverse gas chr
omatography (i.g.c.) was used to determine the transition temperatures
of a main chain, liquid crystalline, biphenyl-based organic polyester
. The transition temperatures determined by using this method agree ve
ry well with those determined by other techniques. In addition, the i.
g.c. experiment gives physico-chemical parameters for the interaction
of probe molecules (saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons) with the liqu
id crystalline phases. Thus, enthalpies of mixing and solution of prob
e molecules in the polymer were estimated, and activity coefficients w
ere calculated. From a single i.g.c. experiment, a wide range of infor
mation regarding the temperature-dependent properties of a liquid crys
talline polymer was obtained.