Cationic polymerization of mesogenic epoxides using hydroxyethyl methacrylate/BF3 as the initiator system led to novel polyether macromonomers bearing a methacrylate functionality. These macromonomers exhibited nematic or smectic mesophases depending on the length of the alkoxy tail of the aromatic mesogen. Low molar mass polymers obtained from these macromonomers showed the same type of mesophases. However, with a high molar mass polymer a change from smectic to nematic was found.