Poly(m-phenylenebutadiynylene)s having a side chain with p-(4-pentylcyclohe
xyl)phenyl and cyanobiphenylyl mesogenic core were synthesized from corresp
onding m-diethynylbenzene by oxidative polycondensation with a Cu-amine cat
alyst under O-2. These polymers showed an enantiotropic nematic phase that
was confirmed by polarizing optical microscopy and XRD. Uniaxial alignment
of these polymers was carried out by a rubbing technique. Polarizing IR res
ults of the aligned samples suggested that the main chain and the mesogenic
side chain were aligned in parallel to the rubbing direction.