Supramolecular Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers and Networks with Competitive Hydrogen Bonding : a Study of Cinnamic Acid Hydrogen Bond Donors

Abstract

In this study supramolecular liquid crystalline networks and polymers were synthesized utilizing a flexible biscinnamic acid group as the hydrogen bond donor and a mix of hydrogen bond acceptors: a small rigid bipyridyl capable of forming a mesophase when hydrogen bonded and a series of rigid poly-pyridyls that serve as liquid crystalline disruptors. Mesophase stability was studied as the concentration of crosslinking (the amount of non-mesogenic polypyridyl groups) increased with respect to the rigid species.