SELF-ASSEMBLY OF MAIN-CHAIN LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS VIA HETEROMERIC HYDROGEN-BONDING

Complexation between pyridines and carboxylic acids is driven by hydro gen bonding. This simple, single hydrogen bond is shown to be capable of serving concomitantly as both the agent of liquid crystallinity and as the coupling bond generating an extended linear chain structure. T hree such complexes made from an aromatic diacid and three structurall y different bis pyridyls were prepared. In each case the association c omplex self-assembles into an organized liquid crystalline phase. Disc ussion of this complexation as a step-growth polymerization process is presented along with an examination of the suitability of various met hods for characterizing these materials.