Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers in Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Fields

Abstract

AbstractThis review presents the progress made on current research in the synthesis of π‐conjugated polymers in chiral nematic liquid crystal (N*‐LC) fields through either chemical or electrochemical polymerization. The following are noteworthy advances in the field of π‐conjugated polymers. (i) Helical aliphatic conjugated polymers of helical polyacetylene (H‐PA) were synthesized using asymmetric interfacial polymerization in N*‐LC fields. (ii) Helical aromatic conjugated polymers with electroactive properties, such as poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polybithiophene (PBT), were synthesized using asymmetric electrochemical polymerization in N*‐LC fields. (iii) Chiral aromatic conjugated copolymers, such as the poly(bithienylene‐phenylene) (PBTP) derivative, were synthesized using the asymmetric Stille polycondensation reaction in N*‐LC fields. Throughout the document, it has been emphasized that by using N*‐LC systems as asymmetric polymerization fields, helix formation is possible for aliphatic and aromatic π‐conjugated polymers without chiroptical substituents on the side chains.