Thermotropic Liquid Crystals Based on Extended 2,5‐Disubstituted‐1,3,4‐Oxadiazoles: Structure–Property Relationships,Variable‐Temperature Powder X‐ray Diffraction,and Small‐Angle X‐ray Scattering Studies |
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Authors: | Jie Han StephenSin‐Yin Chui Chi‐Ming Che |
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Institution: | Jie Han,Stephen?Sin‐Yin Chui,Chi‐Ming Che |
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Abstract: | A class of extended 2,5‐disubstituted‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles R1‐C6H4‐{OC2N2}‐C6H4‐R2 (R1=R2=C10H21O 1 a , p‐C10H21O‐C6H4‐C?C 3 a , p‐CH3O‐C6H4‐C?C 3 b ; R1=C10H21O, R2=CH3O 1 b , (CH3)2N 1 c ; F 1 d ; R1=C10H21O‐C6H4‐C?C, R2=C10H21O 2 a , CH3O 2 b , (CH3)2N 2 c , F 2 d ) were prepared, and their liquid‐crystalline properties were examined. In CH2Cl2 solution, these compounds displayed a room‐temperature emission with λmax at 340–471 nm and quantum yields of 0.73–0.97. Compounds 1 d , 2 a – 2 d , and 3 a exhibited various thermotropic mesophases (monotropic, enantiotropic nematic/smectic), which were examined by polarized‐light optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Structure determination by a direct‐space approach using simulated annealing or parallel tempering of the powder X‐ray diffraction data revealed distinctive crystal‐packing arrangements for mesogenic molecules 2 b and 3 a , leading to different nematic mesophase behavior, with 2 b being monotropic and 3 a enantiotropic in the narrow temperature range of 200–210 °C. The structural transitions associated with these crystalline solids and their mesophases were studied by variable‐temperature X‐ray diffractometry. Nondestructive phase transitions (crystal‐to‐crystal, crystal‐to‐mesophase, mesophase‐to‐liquid) were observed in the diffractograms of 1 b, 1 d , 2 b, 2 d , and 3 a measured at 25–200 °C. Powder X‐ray diffraction and small‐angle X‐ray scattering data revealed that the structure of the annealed solid residue 2 b reverted to its original crystal/molecular packing when the isotropic liquid was cooled to room temperature. Structure–property relationships within these mesomorphic solids are discussed in the context of their molecular structures and intermolecular interactions. |
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Keywords: | liquid crystals materials science mesophases phase transitions X‐ray diffraction |
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