| Abstract: | Two families of liquid crystalline compounds have been synthesised, the 4-butyl-4- alkoxyazobenzenes and the 4-pentyl-4-alkoxyazobenzenes; for the second family results are presented for the first time for alkoxy chains longer than butyl. The results for both families have been obtained up to the octadecyl homologues. In both families, on the basis of DSC, polarizing microscopy and thermo-optical analysis, a rich polymorphism has been detected (maximum tetramorphism). The smectic properties start with the hexyl derivative (for the butyl family) and with the heptyl derivative (for the pentyl family). Strong odd-even effects for the temperatures of clearing in both groups of compounds were detected. Our results are compared with those of de Jeu et al. and of Adomenas et al. for the 4-butyl-4- alkoxyazobenzenes, for which only one smectic modification was described. |
