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The synthesis and characterization of branched liquid-crystalline polyethers containing disk-like mesogens are described. The particular disklike molecules employed for these experiments are oc-taalkyloxy-substituted cyclotetraveratrylene derivatives (CTTV-n). The model compounds of the monomeric structural units (ie, asymmetrically disubstituted [CTTV-n [m (x/y)]) were synthesized by the electrophilic cocyclotetramerization of 3, 4-bis (n-alkyloxy) benzyl alcohols (l (n)], while the branched polymers were synthesized by the cocyclotetramerization of various ratios of a mixture containing 3, 4-(di-n-alkyloxy) benzyl alcohol and a, a>-bis [[2-(n-alkyloxy)-5-(hydroxymethyl) phenyl] oxy] alkane [2 (n, m)]. CF3COOH was used as the cyclotetramerization catalyst. This novel polymerization reaction constructs the disklike CTTV-n molecules during the polymerization process. In a columnar mesophase the backbone of a …