Patent ID: 7041234

Claim:
A method for producing platform molecules comprising: providing a first phenylene ring consisting essentially of a first functional group at a para-position to a first halogenated carboxylic group; providing a second phenylene ring consisting essentially of a second functional group at a para-position to a second halogenated carboxylic group; providing a third phenylene ring comprising a desired substituent and comprising a first functionality at a para-position to a second functionality; and forming a mixture comprising said first phenylene rings, said second phenylene rings, and said third phenylene rings; exposing said mixture to conditions effective to react said first halogenated carboxylic group with said first functionality to produce a first ester bond, said conditions being effective to react said second halogenated carboxylic group with said second functionality to produce a second ester bond, producing platform molecules comprising terminal groups comprising said first functional group at position para- to said first ester bond and said second functional group at a position para- to said second ester bond, said terminal groups comprising other than polymerizable groups, one or more of said terminal groups being selected from the group consisting of H—(CH 2 ) n —O— groups, Cl(CH 2 ) n —O— groups, Br(CH 2 ) n —O— groups, I(CH 2 ) n —O—, and reactive derivatives thereof, wherein n is from about 2 to about 12 and CH 2 independently is selected from the group consisting of CH 2 which is unsubstituted and CH 2 which is substituted by an element selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, and an ester group; provided that at least 2 carbon atoms separate said oxygen or said ester group; and, wherein, when both of said terminal groups comprise polymerizable groups, said desired substituent provides sufficient steric hindrance to achieve a nematic state at room temperature while suppressing crystallinity at room temperature.