Coassembly of a hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline superlattice from polymer(s) coated with a three-cylindrical bundle supramolecular dendrimer

The synthesis and structural analysis of a polymer containing twindendritic benzamide side-groups (i.e. poly{N-[3,4-bis(n-dodecan-1-yloxy)-5-(1-methacryloyl-n-undecan-1-yloxy)-phenyl]- 3,4,5-tris(n-dodecan-1-yloxy)-benzamide}) (19) are described. The disc-like side groups of this polymer self-assemble into supramolecular cylindrical dendrimers through hydrogen bonding acting along the column long axis, creating a novel architecture consisting of a polymer chain(s) coated with a three-cylindrical bundle supramolecular dendrimer. This polymer self-organizes in a thermotropic nematic liquid crystalline (LC) phase. The low molar mass twin dendritic benzamide, 7-12/12, which has a similar structure to that of the polymer side groups, self-assembles into supramolecular cylindrical dendrimers, which self-organize on a two-dimensional hexagonal columnar (Φ_h) LC lattice. Coassembly of the polymer 19 with 7-12/12 produces a novel two-dimensional Φ_h LC superlattice. The mechanism responsible for this coassembly provides access to libraries of functional two-dimensionl Φ_h superlattices.