Synthesis of Rodlike Poly p-phenylene Polyelectrolytes

To tailor-make polyelectrolytes for a specific aim, profound understanding of their structure-property relationships is required. This understanding, however, is not yet available, despite intense research during recent decades [1-3]. To fill the gaps in our knowledge, comprehensive consideration of  

possible conformational changes occurring in aqueous polyelectrolyte solutions 

Rodlike polyelectrolytes have been known for a long time. Biological polymers such as DNA [4-8] and xanthane [9-12], or colloidal systems like the ferredoxin virus [13, 14] and the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) [15, 16], may be the most prominent examples. However, there were also publications on some synthetic rods in the early 1990s when we started our program. Poly(p-phenylene-benzobisoxazoles) and poly(p-phenylene-benzobisthia-zoles) may serve as examples [17-20]. Nevertheless, new rodlike polyelec- 

intrinsically rodlike (persistence length Zp 20 nm [21]) due to its all-para-linked phenylene repeating units, and 

perfectly inert against hydrolysis and all other reactions possible in aqueous media. 

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