Effect of the lateral substituent on the mesomorphic behavior of side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers containing a Schiff base ester

New polymerizable macromers containing a Schiff base ester linkage have been synthesized. These macromers were used to synthesize side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers (SCLCPs) by radical polymerization. The chemical structures of the macromers and polymers were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR). The mesomorphic properties of the macromers as well as the polymers were studied by polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). POM and DSC studies revealed that all of the macromers and polymers showed liquid crystal behavior, with their nematic phases occurring in different mesophase ranges. The macromer without a lateral unit in the mesogen (M1) showed a thermal transition at a relatively high temperature (181.4 °C), whereas the macromer with a lateral unit in the mesogen (M2) showed a thermal transition at a relatively low temperature (101.8 °C). The SCLCP from macromer M1 (HPM1) also showed a comparatively high-temperature thermal transition compared to that of the polymer from macromer M2 (HPM2). The thermal properties of the polymers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The polymer from the macromer with a lateral unit in the mesogen (M2) showed higher thermal stability than the polymer from the macromer without a lateral unit (M1).