Liquid crystalline polymers containing discotic metallomesogens in the main chain

Metallomesogenic polymers having discotic units in the main chain have been synthesized using β-diketonates of Cu(II) and Pd(II) as monomers. The corresponding homologues of low molecular weight have also been synthesized as models of the polymers. All the materials prepared exhibit columnar mesophases. The model compounds exhibit a columnar hexagonal mesophase. In the case of the polymers, the more flexible polymers 2 a and 2 b show a columnar hexagonal mesophase whereas the more rigid polymers 1 a and 1 b exhibit a columnar rectangular mesophase. Fibers of these polymers have an orientation of the polymeric chains along the stretching direction and the disk-like units are arranged in columns perpendicular to the fiber axis.