Novel liquid crystalline polyacetylenes bearing mesogenic groups with a short flexible spacer

We report on the synthesis and polymerization of acetylenic monomers, derived from 3-bromo-1-propyne, all bearing a biphenil moiety as mesogenic core linked to the polyalkene backbone through a single methylene spacer and an ether bridge. Both nature and lenght of the terminal groups have been varied in order to study their influence on the thermal behaviour of the ensuing polymers.