Liquid crystalline oligomeric and polymeric phthalocyanines

The many interesting properties of phthalocyanines (nonlinear optical behavior, redox properties, semiconductivity) have been extended to include liquid crystalline (LC) behavior since these compounds atracted the attention of syntehtic chemists. Approaches to the synthesis of polymeric LC phthalocyanines are described and their LC behavior briefly reviewed. Evidence is presented that the polymers develop columnar stacks that mimic those of simpler mesogens.