Synthesis and Properties of Some Liquid Crystal Polysiloxanes with Laterally or Terminally Attached Side Chains

Abstract
A series of polysiloxanes having laterally-attached mesogenic side chains and involving variations in spacer length and the nature of the two end groups are reported. The terminally-attached analogues of some of these polymers are also reported. Optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used to establish the mesomorphic properties. An explanation is proposed for the low TN-1 values observed for the polymers with laterally attached side chains.