Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline polyacrylates and non-liquid crystalline polypyrroles from bifunctional monomers

Two kinds of polymerizations of liquid-crystalline N-{{W-(4-[4-(11-acryloyl oxy)undecanoxybenzoyl] biphenyleneoxy}alkyl}}pyrrole gave a side-chain liqu id-crystalline polyacrylate containing pyrrole group and a non-liquid cryst alline polypyrrole containing acrylate group. Liquid crystallinity was dete rmined by DSC and optical polarizing microscope measurements. The monomers having hexyl or decyl group as the alkyl group exhibited an undefined smect ic, smectic B, and smectic A phases on the heating stage. The radically pol ymerized polyacrylate derivatives containing the pyrrole group showed smect ic A, smectic C, and undefined smectic phases on the cooling stage. On the other hand, soluble N-substituted polypyrrole derivatives containing the te rminal acrylate group which were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerizat ion by ferric chloride catalyst did not show liquid crystallinity. Structur e analysis of the polypyrroles performed by H-1 and C-13-NMR and FT-IR spec troscopies demonstrated that the polymerization occurred at the pyrrole rin g. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.