Abstract

The synthesis of a novel side-chain liquid crystalline polymer in which cholesterol mesogenic units are linked to a styrene backbone by a tris(ethyleneoxy) spacer is described. This amphiphilic polymer displays an unusual discontinuity in its monolayer behaviour at the air–water interface. This behaviour appears to be associated with the attainment of a closely-packed arrangement of the cholesterol units at higher values of surface pressure. Glancing angle X-ray diffraction shows that a well-ordered Y-type film is obtained if deposition is performed at a surface pressure above that of the apparent rearrangement.