Chiral polyisocyanates, a special class of helical polymers

Polyisocyanates (nylon 1) offer a lot of fascinating properties due to their dynamic helical conformation, which gives rise to orientational phenomena (large persistence length) or chiral amplification. This paper summarizes new results on polyisocyanates that appeared after the review by Bur and Fetters [Chem Rev 76 (1976) 727]. It starts with an overview of new synthetic methods, and then describes chiral polyisocyanates, their properties and the theoretical concepts developed to understand the experimental findings. Thereafter concentrated solutions (gels and LC phases) as well as photochromic polyisocyanates are discussed in detail. Finally, solid phase composite materials from polyisocyanates are described.