Liquid crystalline compositions

Claim 2

A copolyester capable of forming a thermotropic melt phase and having an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.3, consisting essentially of the following divalent radicals: wherein the placements of the carbonyl groups of the B radicals are meta or para or a mixture of meta and para; wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyls of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, phenyl and phenyl substituted with an alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, chloro, bromo, cyano, formyl, acetyl, and trifluoromethyl; wherein the amount of radical A is in the range from about 10 mole % to about 60 mole % of the copolyester and wherein the amount of radical D is selected in the range from about 1 mole % up to about 50 mole % of the total amount of radicals C and D to provide a ratio of storage moduli of said copolyester determined at T -50°C. and T +50°C. less than the ratio of the storage moduli determined at T g -50°C. and T g +50°C. of a copolyester of identical composition except that the D radicals are replaced with C radicals.

Claim 3

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein radical R is selected from the group consisting of alkyls of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl, methyl, and chloro.

Claim 4

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein radical R is selected from the group consisting of methyl and chloro.

Claim 5

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the amount of radical D is in the range from about 1 mole % to about 25 mole % of the total amount of radicals C and D.

Claim 6

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the amount of radical D is in the range from about 5 mole % to about 20 mole % of the total amount of radicals C and D.

Claim 7

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein R is methyl.

Claim 8

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the amount of radical A is in the range from about 15 mole % to about 40 mole % of the polyester.

Claim 9

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the amount of radical A is in the range from about 20 mole % to about 35 mole %.

Claim 10

The copolyester of claim wherein the inherent viscosity is at least about 0.5.

Claim 11

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the ratio of storage moduli of said copolyester is less than 60% of the ratio of the storage moduli of a copolyester of identical composition except that the D radicals are replaced with C radicals.

Claim 12

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the storage moduli of said copolyester is less than 30% of the ratio of the storage moduli of a copolyester of identical composition except that the D radicals are replaced with C radicals.

Claim 13

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein the placements of the carbonyl groups of the B radicals are meta.

Claim 14

The copolyesters of claim 12 wherein R is methyl and wherein the amount of radical D is in the range from about 5 mole % to about 20 mole % of the total amount of radicals C and D.

Claim 15

A process for producing a copolyester, that comprises esterifying the phenolic hydroxyl groups of a mixture of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroquinone and a substituted hydroquinone with a monocarboxylic acid, the substituted hydroquinone being of the formula wherein R is selected from alkyls of 1 to 6 carbon atons, phenyl, phenyl substituted with an alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, chloro, bromo, cyano, formyl, acetyl and trifluromethyl, wherein the amount of p-hydro.xybenzoic acid is in the range of from a6out 60 mole% of the said mixture; and reacting the resulting esters with terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid or both at a temperature in the range of about 250°C to about 340°C to produce the copolyester; and wherein the amount of substituted hydroquinone in the said mixture is selected in the range of from about 1 mole% up to about 50 mole% of the total amount of hydroquinone and substituted hydroquinone to provide a ratio of storage moduli of the copolyester determined at Tg -50°C and Tg +50°C less than the ratio of the storage moduli determined at Tg -50°C and Tg +50°C of a copolyester produced by the same process except that the substituted hydroquinone is replaced by hydroquinone.

Claim 16

A process for producing a copolyester, that comprises esterifying the phenolic hydroxyl groups of a mixture of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroquinone and a substituted hydroquinone with a monocarboxylic acid, the substituted hydroquinone being of the formula wherein R is selected from alkyls of 1 to 6 carbon atons, phenyl, phenyl substituted with an alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, chloro, bromo, cyano, formyl, acetyl and trifluromethyl, wherein the amount of p-hydro.xybenzoic acid is in the range of from a6out 60 mole% of the said mixture; and reacting the resulting esters with terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid or both at a temperature in the range of about 250°C to about 340°C to produce the copolyester; and wherein the amount of substituted hydroquinone in the said mixture is selected in the range of from about 1 mole% up to about 50 mole% of the total amount of hydroquinone and substituted hydroquinone to provide a ratio of storage moduli of the copolyester determined at Tg -50°C and Tg +50°C less than the ratio of the storage moduli determined at Tg -50°C and Tg +50°C of a copolyester produced by the same process except that the substituted hydroquinone is replaced by hydroquinone.

Claim 17

A process of Claim 14, in which there is produced a copolyester according to any of Claims 2 to 13.