Dichroic properties of squarylium dyes which dissolved as guest molecules in low-molecular-weight liquid crystal were investigated for the design of novel polymer liquid crystals containing dicroic squarylium dyes. It was found that unsymmetrical squarylium dyes containing a benzothiazole moiety showed the best dichroic ratio and order parameter in low-molecular-weight liquid crystal.
As squarylium dye monomers, blue squarylium monomers (3) containing a benzoyl group with an acryloyl group were prepared by the reaction of
N-ethylhydroxy derivative of benzothiazole-unsymmetrical squarylium dyes with benzoic acid derivative containing an acryloyl group in the presence of 2-chloro-l-methylpyridinium iodide, DMAP, and benzene, at 65°C, for 12 h. Novel copolymer liquid crystals with 1.0% or 0.75% squarylium dye content were obtained by copolymerization of blue squarylium monomers with 4-cyanophenyl 4- (6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy) benzoate, as a mesogenic monomer, at 70°C for 24 h.
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