Polymers with Complexed Cyclobutadiene Units in the Main Chain: The First Example of a Thermotropic, Liquid Crystalline Organometallic Polymer

摘要

Low molecular weight metallomesogens were discovered some time ago and are now a topic of thorough investigation because of their optical and electronic properties. In contrast, liquid crystalline, organometallic polymers have hardly been described. Among the few examples are the palladium/platinum alkyne polymers of Hagihara et al. that have been known for several years and the more recent tricarbonylchromium-com-plexed polyaramides synthesized by Dembek et al. In both cases the occurrence of lyotropic liquid crystalline phases is attributable to the rigid molecular structure (rigid rods) and thus to the shape anisotropism.