A chiral induced ferroelectric liquid crystal phase transition with a vanishingly small enthalpy

Abstract

Information on molecular interactions that give rise to the stabilization of various ferroelectric, liquid-crystalline mesophases is important to the realization of their potential utility in a wide variety of optical devices. Understanding the roles that optical activity and optical purity play in the formation and properties of the various smectic phases is therefore of particular interest. In order to study this relationship three new liquid-crystalline materials were prepared, one as a racemic mixture, the other two as the optically active analogues. The optically active isomers appear to exhibit a different mesophase morphology from the racemate. The chiral compounds apparently possess two extra ferroelectric mesophases in comparison to the racemic mixture. The transitions to and from these phases have extremely small enthalpies. An attempt is made to explain the results for the chiral compounds in terms of differing dipolar couplings in the chiral ferroelectric phases. In the racemic mixture these interactions are compromised or scrambled by a loss of asymmetry thus destabilizing these extra phases.     

Chirality in liquid crystals. The remarkable phenylpropiolates

The biphenylyl esters of the 4-n-alkoxyphenylpropiolic acids are a unique family of liquid-crystalline materials. In particular, when the biphenyl moiety of the compounds carries a chiral end-group, many optically active mesophases are created which exhibit unusual structures and physical properties. For instance, when the chiral group attached to the biphenyl moiety is 1-methylheptyl then Abrikosov, twist grain boundary smectic A* and antiferroelectric smectic C* phases are observed. The wide variety of chiral phases and electrochiral properties exhibited by this family of materials makes them ideal candidates for exploring chirality in the liquid-crystalline state. These investigations allow us to contrast and compare chirality dependent phenomena in liquid crystals, thereby producing a broader view of the concept of chirality in organized fluids than is traditionally presented.     

Twisted smectic A phases in side chain liquid crystal polymers

The syntheses of two side chain liquid crystal polymers, a polyacrylate and a polymethacrylate, are reported. In each of the polymers the liquid-crystalline side group carries an asymmetric carbon atom, thereby making some of the liquid crystal phases formed by the polymers optically active and chiral. For the chiral polyacrylate smectic A and chiral ferroelectric smectic C phases are observed, however for the chiral polymethacrylate a cholesteric phase is detected above the smectic A phase. It is found that the smectic A to cholesteric phase transition is mediated by the formation of an intermediary twisted smectic A phase. This intermediary phase is a liquid-crystalline analogue of the Abrikosov flux phase found in Type II superconductors.     

Thermal analysis of binary liquid crystalline mixtures

Two series of binary mixtures composed of bent shaped and rod like molecules are reported. The first star shaped bent core molecules were synthesized and used as a component of binary mixtures. The chiral rod like compounds having commensurable length with the arms of the bent core compounds have been chosen for these mixtures. The resulted compositions show various thermotropic liquid crystalline phases that are characteristic to both types of liquid crystalline materials. In case of mixing the rod like molecules to the bent core compound the B2, B7 and induced B1 phases have been observed. While using the star-shaped bent core and chiral rod like compounds in mixture, the paraelectric smectic A, ferroelectric smectic C* and orthogonal hexatic smectic B phases were preferred. The appearing mesophases were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods.     

Twisted smectic A phases in side chain liquid crystal polymers

Abstract

The syntheses of two side chain liquid crystal polymers, a polyacrylate and a polymethacrylate, are reported. In each of the polymers the liquid-crystalline side group carries an asymmetric carbon atom, thereby making some of the liquid crystal phases formed by the polymers optically active and chiral. For the chiral polyacrylate smectic A and chiral ferroelectric smectic C phases are observed, however for the chiral polymethacrylate a cholesteric phase is detected above the smectic A phase. It is found that the smectic A to cholesteric phase transition is mediated by the formation of an intermediary twisted smectic A phase. This intermediary phase is a liquid-crystalline analogue of the Abrikosov flux phase found in Type II superconductors.     

Synthesis and properties of new ferroelectric liquid-crystalline compounds having a tolane rigid core and an optically active alkyl sulphinate group

The synthesis and the properties of new ferroelectric liquid-crystalline compounds with a tolane rigid core and an optically active alkyl sulphinate group are reported. These compounds contain two chiral centres: a sulphinate group and a branched aliphatic chain. The two pure diastereomers having opposite configurations on the sulphur have been isolated. The mesomorphic behaviour of these two compounds is different, only one exhibiting an enantiotropic chiral smectic C phase; this clearly demonstrates the role of the sulphur configuration in determining the thermotropic properties. The mesomorphic transition temperatures, the structural behaviour as a function of temperature and preliminary measurements of the spontaneous polarization are presented.     

Synthesis and properties of new ferroelectric liquid-crystalline compounds having a tolane rigid core and an optically active alkyl sulphinate group

Abstract

The synthesis and the properties of new ferroelectric liquid-crystalline compounds with a tolane rigid core and an optically active alkyl sulphinate group are reported. These compounds contain two chiral centres: a sulphinate group and a branched aliphatic chain. The two pure diastereomers having opposite configurations on the sulphur have been isolated. The mesomorphic behaviour of these two compounds is different, only one exhibiting an enantiotropic chiral smectic C phase; this clearly demonstrates the role of the sulphur configuration in determining the thermotropic properties. The mesomorphic transition temperatures, the structural behaviour as a function of temperature and preliminary measurements of the spontaneous polarization are presented.     

Silicon-containing polyphilic bent-core molecules: the importance of nanosegregation for the development of chirality and polar order in liquid crystalline phases formed by achiral molecules

Polyphilic molecules composed of a bent aromatic core, oligo(siloxane) units, and alkyl segments were synthesized, and the self-organization of these molecules was investigated. Most materials organize into polar smectic liquid crystalline phases. The switching process of these mesophases changes from antiferroelectric for the nonsilylated compounds via superparaelectric to surface-stabilized ferroelectric with increasing segregation of the silylated segments. It is proposed that the siloxane sublayers stabilize a polar synclinic ferroelectric (SmC(s)P(F)) structure, and the escape from a macroscopic polar order as well as steric effects leads to a deformation of the layers with formation of disordered microdomains, giving rise to optical isotropy. Another striking feature is the spontaneous formation of chiral domains with opposite handedness. For two compounds, a temperature-dependent inversion of the optical rotation of these domains was found, and this is associated with an increase of the tilt angle of the molecules from < 45 degrees to > 50 degrees. This observation confirms the recently proposed concept of layer optical chirality (Hough, L. E.; Clark, N. A. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 95, 107802), which is a new source of optical activity in supramolecular systems. With increasing length of the alkyl chains, segregation is lost and a transition from smectic to a columnar phase is found. In the columnar phase, the switching process is antiferroelectric and takes place by rotation of the molecules around the long axes, which reverses the layer chirality; that is, the racemic ground-state structure is switched into a homogeneous chiral structure upon application of an electric field.     

Structural characterization of organosiloxane liquid crystals with a transverse or longitudinal dipole

In this work we report the characterization of two organosiloxane liquid crystalline compounds by means of DSC, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. These compounds can be used for dye guest-host ferroelectric displays. We focus this investigation on the molecular organization of the SmC phases of the two pure compounds to help elucidate the physical behaviour of mixtures with different concentrations of the dye and the guest host. The existence of longitudinal and transverse dipoles in the molecules of the dye and the chiral guest-host respectively are responsible for the different molecular organizations in the SmC mesophases of each compound. Taking into account the experimental results and the complexity of the molecules, we present coherent models to explain the molecular arrangements in the mesophases of both compounds.     

Structural characterization of organosiloxane liquid crystals with a transverse or longitudinal dipole

In this work we report the characterization of two organosiloxane liquid crystalline compounds by means of DSC, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. These compounds can be used for dye guest-host ferroelectric displays. We focus this investigation on the molecular organization of the SmC phases of the two pure compounds to help elucidate the physical behaviour of mixtures with different concentrations of the dye and the guest host. The existence of longitudinal and transverse dipoles in the molecules of the dye and the chiral guest-host respectively are responsible for the different molecular organizations in the SmC mesophases of each compound. Taking into account the experimental results and the complexity of the molecules, we present coherent models to explain the molecular arrangements in the mesophases of both compounds.     

Chiral smectic C phases exhibited by biphenyl resorcylate and vanillate derivatives

We report the synthesis and mesomorphic behaviour of alkoxybiphenyl resorcylate and vanillate derivatives with a chiral moiety obtained from chloro analogues of L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine. The compounds have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and the mesophases studied by DSC and optical microscopy. In the synthesized compounds, an enantiotropic chiral smectic C phase over a wide temperature range has been observed. Changes in the phase behaviour caused by structural variations in the core and the optically active alkyl chain are also discussed.     

Influence of chirality on phase transitions in ferroelectric liquid crystals

The transition temperatures between various smectic liquid crystal phases are determined as a function of the enantiomeric excess for three different chiralracemic systems (i.e. binary mixtures consisting of a chiral enantiomer and its racemate). It is shown that transitions involving a ferroelectric phase occur in the chiral compounds at higher temperatures compared to their racemates, the temperature shift being proportional to the square of the enantiometric excess. In contrast, for transitions between two non-ferroelectric phases no difference between the chiral and the racemic compounds is found. Various reasons for the experimental behaviour are discussed. A chirality dependence of the transition temperature is also observed for the smectic A-isotropic transition.     

Dark conglomerate phases of bent-core liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

Spontaneous or induced chiral symmetry breaking in achiral systems is unusual and understanding the origin of such a phenomenon has been an important area of research for several years. The optically isotropic mesophases exhibited by unconventional liquid crystals are one of the most interesting systems to investigate spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in liquid crystal mesophases formed by achiral moieties. The dark conglomerate (DC) phases are one such optically isotropic family of phases. In this paper, a detailed account of the tendency of bent-core mesogens to form a variety of polar smectic phases, the formation of DC phases due to layers deformations and the general optical, electrical, physical properties of the DC phases are given. An example of a DC phase which exhibit distinct electro-optic properties is described with the nature of dynamics of the response and physical reasons responsible for such behaviour. The challenges and prospects of the DC phases are discussed for their potential applications in novel devices.     

Supramolecular helical stacking of metallomesogens derived from enantiopure and racemic polycatenar oxazolines

The present report undertakes a challenge of general interest in supramolecular chemistry: the achievement of helical organizations with controlled structure. To achieve this target we considered the possibility of inducing supramolecular chirality using molecules that were designed to organize into columnar mesophases. The use of oxazoline-derived ligands and metal coordination served as tools to prepare molecules with a phasmidic-like structure, which show columnar organization in the liquid crystalline state. To ensure the formation of chiral mesophases, these complexes bear stereogenic centers in the rigid coordination environment of the metal. X-ray and circular dichroism experiments have revealed that chirality transfer does indeed take place from the chiral molecule to the columnar liquid crystal organization. This chiral columnar organization appears as a helix consisting of stacks of molecules that rotate with respect to one another along the column while maintaining their mean planes parallel to each other. In fact, it has been concluded that packing of these polycatenar molecules must be more efficient upon rotation of a molecule with respect to the adjacent one along the column. Furthermore, the same type of helical supraorganization has been found to be present in the mesophase of the racemic mixture and the mixture of diastereomers prepared from the racemic ligand. In this case, segregation of the optical isomers is proposed to occur to give rise to both types of helix (right-handed and left-handed).     

Comparison of the pitch induced from lamellar and nematic regions in some lyotropic liquid crystal systems

Lamellar phases (Lalpha) composed of decylammonium chloride(DACl), NH4Cl and H2O were doped with cholesteryl-2-ethoxyethoxyethyl carbonate (CEEC) and with (L-MA) or its racemic mixture (DL-MA). Lalpha phases of the novel intrinsic optically active L-serine hydrochloride decylester (L-SDE) and its racemic mixture (DL-SDE) were also prepared. From the chiral Lalpha phases, cholesteric phases (ChD) were induced with increased temperature and it was found that the pitch length shortened as the temperature was raised. This phenomenon is new for micellar cholesterics. The non-chiral Lalpha phases gave pseudo-isotropic and nematic regions with increased temperature. On the basis of these results and those in the literature, a new interpretation of the distorted micelle shape and the formation of the fingerprint texture is presented. The pitches induced from Lalpha regions were always larger than those obtained from nematic regions. From these results it is inferred that the interactions between the micelles in the cholesteric state at room temperature are of 'ideal' type. In addition, the temperature dependence of the pitch in micellar cholesterics is discussed.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of fluoro-substituted chiral liquid crystals derived from (S)-lactic acid with alkoxyethanols

A homologous series of fluoro-substituted chiral liquid crystals derived from (S)-lactic acid and alkoxyethanols were prepared for investigation. Mesophases and their corresponding transition temperatures were identified by polarized optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The compounds exhibit a broad temperature range in the ferroelectric chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase; in particular, compounds with shorter alkyl chain lengths have an SmC* phase at ambient temperature. The physical properties of the ferroelectric SmC* phase, such as switching current, spontaneous polarization, optical tilt angle and electro-optical response, were also measured. The effects of fluoro substituent on the mesophases and physical properties of the chiral liquid crystals are discussed.     

在多糖衍生物类色谱柱上手性拆分β-氨基醇及β-羟基 硫醚类化合物

在以正己烷-异丙醇为移动相的体系中,用ChiralcelOD,ChiralcelOJ及ChiralpakAD作为手性固定相对13种β-氨基醇及β-羟基硫醚类化合物对映体进行HPLC手性拆分,这些化合物至少能在一支柱上得到基线级分离。考察了它们于不同浓度配比的这类洗脱体系中在柱上的色谱行为。实验表明化合物取代基的性质明显影响它们在手性柱上的拆分。手性固定相与外消旋样品上的极性基团之间的氢键作用和π-π作用可能是进行手性识别的主要原因。方法已用于非手性环氧化合物不对称开环反应产物β-氨基醇及β-羟基硫醚类化合物的光学纯度鉴定。     

Low frequency dielectric spectroscopy on mixtures containing ferroelectric liquid crystals

Dielectric spectroscopy (frequency range 10 ^-1 Hz to 10⁵ Hz, temperature range 300 K to 370 K) was employed to investigate the Goldstone mode in ferroelectric liquid-crystalline mixtures of chiral and achiral compounds. While the spontaneous polarization decreases with increasing fraction of the achiral molecules the Goldstone mode remains constant in its oscillatory strength. As expected the Goldstone mode frequency shifts to lower values with increasing amount of achiral molecules in the ferroelectric liquid-crystalline mixture.     

Flow methods in chiral analysis

The methods used for the separation and analytical determination of individual isomers are based on interactions with substances exhibiting optical activity. The currently used methods for the analysis of optically active compounds are primarily high-performance separation methods, such as gas and liquid chromatography using chiral stationary phases or chiral selectors in the mobile phase, and highly efficient electromigration techniques, such as capillary electrophoresis using chiral selectors. Chemical sensors and biosensors may also be designed for the analysis of optically active compounds.     

Layer frustration, polar order and chirality in liquid crystalline phases of silyl-terminated achiral bent-core molecules

A novel class of bent-core molecules with oligo(siloxane) or carbosilane units at both ends was synthesized and the self-organization of these molecules was investigated by polarizing microscopy, DSC, X-ray scattering, dielectric and electrooptical methods. Depending on the size of the silicon-containing segments, smectic and columnar liquid crystalline phases are formed. Most smectic phases are low birefringent and composed of macroscopic domains of opposite handedness (dark conglomerate phases). The switching process in these smectic phases is surface stabilized ferroelectric and, depending on the conditions, two distinct slow relaxation processes to nonpolar structures were observed. It is proposed that the smectic phases are built up by chiral and polar SmCsPF layer stacks which are separated by anticlinic interfaces. If the size of these layer stacks is sufficiently large a coupling to the substrate surfaces takes place and ferroelectric switching is observed. It is also suggested that the sponge-like layer distortion, occurring in the low birefringent mesophases, is due to an escape from the local polar order within these SmCsPF layer stacks. For compounds with larger silylated units a steric frustration arises, which leads to layer modulation (columnar ribbon phases) and this is associated with a transition from ferroelectric to antiferroelectric switching. All compounds show a switching of the molecules around the long axis which reverses the layer chirality.