Supramolecular main-chain liquid crystalline polymers and networks with competitive hydrogen bonding: a study of increased flexibility on distonic mesogenic hydrogen bond acceptors with networks created from tetrakis-, tris- and bis-functionalised pyridyl networking agents

Abstract

A series of novel liquid crystalline supramolecular networks formed through hydrogen bonds have been synthesised. These networks based on a bis benzoic acid and two types of pyridyl species (a distonic bis stilbazole capable of forming liquid crystalline phases and a polyfunctional non-mesogenic pyridyl species) can compete for available hydrogen bond donor molecules. It was found that the networks display monotropic nematic character at high concentrations of disrupting netpoints – up to 60% for tetrapyridyls, 50% for tripyridyls and 42.5% for bipyridyls.