<title>Photophysics and photochemistry of side-chain substituted liquid crystalline polyaryl cinnamates</title>

The synthesis and photochemistry of comb-like thermotropic liquid-crystalline (L.C.) polymers containing UV-sensitive cinnamate ester chromophores incorporated as part of the pendant groups is described. The methacrylate monomer was polymerized using AIBN as a free radical initiator. The acrylate monomer was resistant to polymerization under the same reaction conditions. The principle photochemical reactions on photolysis (313 nm) of solutions of the polymer as well as freshly cast films are photocycloaddition and photo-Fries rearrangement of the aryl cinnamate chromophore. Aggregation of chromophores was studied in films as a function of phase type at different temperatures. These results are compared with those obtained from main chain L.C. polyaryl cinnamates.