Preparation and cholesteric mesophase properties of (butyl-co-pentyl) propylcellulose

Butyl and pentyl ether derivatives of (2-hydroxypropyl) cellulose (HPC) and butyl/pentyl mixed ethers of HPC (BPPC) with different alkyl compositions were prepared in nonaqueous solution and their thermotropic cholesteric properties examined. The temperature dependence and the composition dependence of the optical pitch, nP, were then determined for all of the ether derivatives. The molecular conformation and chirality of BPPC appeared to be to be variably smooth with the side chain composition of the polymer. The response rate of cholesteric configurational change of the thermotropic mesophases arising from a temperature jump from 45 to 75 degrees C, was also determined. The transformation of the cholesteric mesophase formed by an equimolar ether derivative (BP-50) was faster than that of the cholesteric one formed by a single-alkyl (pentyl) ether derivative (BP-0). This seemed to be a general result reflecting a pseudo-copolymer effect of cellulose derivatives on the properties of their thermotropic cholesteric mesophases.