Structure and Smectic Liquid Crystal Formation of Helical Poly(phenyl isocyanide) Derivatives

Abstract

We have found that a polymerization of an optically active phenyl isocyanide bearing an L-alanine pendant with a long alkyl chain by a ethynediyl Pt-Pd complex as an initiator produced the diastereomeric helical polymers consisting of right- or left-handed helix with different molecular weight to each other, which can be further separated into the diastereomeric helices. Furthermore, It was elucidated that these polymers form smectic A liquid crystals in the concentrated solutions.