Mesogen compounds

A mesogen-containing compound represented by the following Formula (I),

• wherein,
• v is 3 or 4,
• t is 0 or 1,
• (A) each Mesogen, independently for each v, is represented by the following Formula (II),
• wherein for Formula (II),
• P is selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, acrylate, methacrylate, trihalomethacrylate, cyanoacrylate, acrylamido, methacrylamido, oxirane, hydroxyl, primary amino, carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid ester, siloxane, carbosilane, cyano, or nitro;
• S1, S2, S3, and S4, for each occurrence, are independently selected from a spacer unit chosen from —CH2—;
• —O—;
• —C(O)—;
• —N═N—;
• —CH═CH—;
• —C≡C—;
• —CH═N—;
• —CF2—;
• or —NH—, provided that when two spacer units comprising heteroatoms are linked together the spacer units are linked so that heteroatoms are not directly linked to each other;
• d is 0 to 20;
• e, f, and g, for each occurrence, are independently 0 to 3;
• Q1, Q2, and Q3, for each occurrence, are independently a divalent group selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl;
• unsubstituted or substituted phenyl;
• unsubstituted or substituted naphthyl;
• and unsubstituted or substituted triptycenyl;
• wherein each cycloalkyl substituent, each phenyl substituent, each naphthyl substituent, and each triptycenyl substituent is in each case independently selected from —(S1)d—P, where S1, d, and P are each as defined with regard to Formula (II);
• and
• e′ and f′, for each occurrence, are independently from 0 to 6, provided the sum of e′ and f′ is at least 2;
• (B) each -L-, independently for each v, is represented by the following Formula (III),
• wherein,
• (i) y is 0 to 30;
• (ii) each A independently for each y is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of single bond, aliphatic group, and haloaliphatic group;
• (iii) each B independently for each y is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of —O—;
• —C(O)O—;
• —OC(O)O—;
• —C(O)N(R1)— where R1 is H or alkyl;
• —NH—C(O)O—;
• —N(R2)C(O)N(R2)— where each R2 is independently selected from H or alkyl;
• where n is 1 to 4, each Ra is independently methyl, ethyl, or phenyl, and each R3 independently for each n is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, or phenyl;
• where t′ is from 1 to 4, u′ is from 1 to 5 independently for each t′, each R16 independently for each t′ is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, or phenyl, and each R17 is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, or phenyl;
• and —S1(R5)(R5)— where each R5 is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, or phenyl;
• and
• (iv) E is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of aliphatic group and haloaliphatic group;
• (C) X is a polyvalent group selected from the group consisting of Si;
• siloxane having from 2 to 6 Si atoms;
• carbosilane having from 2 to 5 Si atoms, and from 1 to 5 methylene groups between each pair of Si atoms;
• and unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• wherein each aliphatic group substituent is in each case independently selected from —(S1)d—P, where S1, d, and P are each as defined with regard to Formula (II);
• and
• (D) R4 is selected from the group consisting of —(S1)d—P, where S1, d, and P are each as defined with regard to Formula (II);
• ═O;
• and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group, wherein each phenyl substituent is independently selected from —(S1)d—P, where S1, d, and P are each as defined with regard to Formula (II),
• provided that at least one Mesogen includes at least four cyclic groups, and
• provided that each -L- independently comprises an average chain length of at least 15 bonds, and further provided that at least one -L- comprises an average chain length of at least 25 bonds.