The synthesis of laterally fluorinated alkoxystilbazoles and some of their mesogenic complexes with Ir(I). The molecular structure of trans-4-undecyloxy-3-fluoro-4'-stilbazole

A series of 3-fluorinated 4-alkoxystilbazoles (n-3F-OPhVPy) and some of the related 2-fluorinated derivatives (n-2F-OPhVPy) have been synthesized; unlike their non-fluorinated counterparts, these new stilbazoles are non-mesomorphic. A single crystal structure determination of 3-fluoro-4-undecyloxy-4'-stilbazole shows the molecule to be planar, trans with respect to the double bond and to crystallize in only one of two possible extreme rotational conformers. Reaction of these fluorinated stilbazoles with [IrCl(COD)]₂ under CO affords the complexes cis-[IrCl(CO)₂(n-XF-OPhVPY)] which are non-mesomorphic for X = 3, but have monotropic phases for X = 2.     

Synthesis of two naphthyl-containing homologous series of mesogenic ligands and the related metallomesogens containing Cu(II)

Two new naphthyl-containing homologous series of mesogenic ligands, the 4-n-alkoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene-2'-naphthylamines (series I) and 4(4'-n-alkoxybenzoyloxy)-2-hydroxybenzylidene-2'-naphthylamines (series II), as well as the related metallomesogens of higher homologues containing a Cu(II) atom, have been synthesized. All the ligands and complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and standard spectroscopic methods. In series I, n-heptyloxy and n-octyloxy derivatives are non-mesogenic whereas the remaining higher members synthesized exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. In series II, all the members synthesized exhibit an enantiotropic nematic mesophase. All the metallomesogens of series I synthesized exhibit a monotropic smectic A mesophase, except for the n-octyloxy derivative, which is non-mesogenic, whereas metallomesogens of series II exhibit enantiotropic nematic mesophases up to the n-tetradecyloxy derivatives; the n-tetradecyloxy and n-hexadecyloxy derivatives also exhibit smectic C mesophases. All the members of series II and their metallomesogens exhibit mesophases with wide temperature ranges and greater thermal stability as compared to series I and their metallomesogens, respectively. The mesomorphic properties of both the present series and their metallomesogens are compared with each other and with other structurally related series to evaluate the effect of the naphthalene moiety on mesomorphism.     

Mixed-valent diruthenium (II,III) aliphatic carboxylates: columnar mesophases in dodecylsulfate and octylsulfonate derivatives

Two series of polymeric mixed-valent diruthenium (II,III) aliphatic carboxylates of formula Ru₂[O₂C(CH₂)_n-2CH₃]₄X (where X=dodecylsulfate (DOS) anion and n=8, 9, 16 and 18, or X=octylsulfonate (OS) anion and n=8, 10, 12, 14 and 18) were synthesized and characterized. Their liquid crystalline properties and crystalline (Cr) structures were analysed; the Cr phases are lamellar in all cases. For long chain DOS derivatives (n=16 and 18) hexagonal and rectangular columnar mesophases (Col_h and Col_r) with melting temperatures close to 140°C were observed. For long chain OS derivatives (n≥10) a Col_h mesophase was observed, with melting temperatures between 140 and 190°C.     

Thermal cis—trans isomerization of bis(diamine) cobalt(III) and chromium(III) complexes in a solid phase

Thermal cis—trans isomerization of the simple bis(diamine) complexes [MX₂(aa or bb)₂]X · HX · n H₂O and the mixed bis(diamine) complexes [MX₂(aa)(bb)]X · HX · n H₂O was investigated in a solid phase, where M = Co(III) or Cr(III) ion, X = Cl or Br, aa and bb are one of the diamines selected from ethylenediamine (en), d, l-1,2-propane-diamine (pn), d,l-2,3-butanediamine (dl-bn), d,l-1,2-cyclohexanediamine (chxn), 1,3-propanediamine (ln) and d,l-2,4-pentanediamine (ptn), and n = 0–2. The information obtained may be summarized as follows. (1) The features of isomerization are considerably dependent upon the kind of metal ions, halide ions and diamines contained in the complexes. (2) Trans-cis isomerization was identified in the simple bis(diamine) complexes containing en, pn, dl-bn or chxn which can form five-membered chelate rings with metal ions, whereas cis-trans isomerization was detected in the simple bis(diamine) complexes containing tn or ptn which forms six-membered rings; all the mixed bis(diamine) complexes isomerize from trans to cis even when they have a combination of five- and six-membered chelate rings. (3) The cobalt(III) complexes isomerize in a temperature range of dehydration and/or dehydrohalogenation with activation energies of about 100 kJ mole⁻¹, whereas the chromium(III) complexes usually isomerize in the anhydrous state and the activation energies amount to as much as 150–190 kJ mole⁻¹. (4) “Aquation-anation” and “bond rupture” were proposed for the isomerization of the cobalt(III) and the chromium(III) complexes, respectively.     

Cis, cis-(3,5-dihydroxycyclohexyl) 3,4-bis(alkoxy)benzoates Thermal behaviour and water absorption

A homologous series of liquid crystalline cis, cis-(3,5-dihydroxycyclohexyl) 3,4-bis(alkoxy)-benzoates ('two chain' diols) is described. The formation of different mesophase structures by these compounds is influenced by the length of the alkoxy side chains; changes from smectic via cubic to hexagonal columnar mesophases have been established in a certain chain length range. The aggregation to 'supramolecular' structures via hydrogen bonding seems to be necessary for the different mesophases. Not only the behaviour of the freeze dried products, but also that of samples which had absorbed water, either from a saturated atmosphere or from direct contact, is described.     

Synthesis and characterization of planarly chiral nonbridged bis(1-R-indenyl) zirconium dichloride complexes and X-ray structure of rac-[(η-C9H6-1-C(CH3)2---o-C6H4---OCH3)2ZrCl2]·THF

Reactions of the lithium salts of 3-substituted indenes 1, 2 with ZrCl₄(THF)₂ gave two series of nonbridged bis(1-substituted)indenyl zirconocene dichloride complexes. Fractional recrystallization from THF–petroleum ether furnished the pure racemic and mesomeric isomers of [(η⁵-C₉H₆-1-C(R¹)(R²)---o-C₆H₄---OCH₃)₂ZrCl₂]·nTHF (R¹=R²=CH₃, n=1, rac-1a and meso-1b; R¹=CH₃, R²=C₂H₅; n=0.5 or 0, rac-2a and meso-2b), respectively. Complex 1a was further characterized by X-ray diffraction to have a C₂ symmetrically racemic structure, where the six-member rings of the indenyl parts are oriented laterally and two o-CH₃O---C₆H₄---C(CH₃)₂--- substituents are oriented to the open side of the metallocene (Ind: bis-lateral, anti; Substituent: bis-central, syn). The four zirconocene complexes are highly symmetrical in solution as characterized by room temperature ¹H-NMR, however ¹H–¹H NOESY of meso-1b shows that some of the NOE interactions arise from the two separated indenyl parts of the same molecule, which can only be well explained by taking into account the torsion isomers in solution.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of some platinum(II) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of a homologous series of N-(2-hydroxy-4-n-alkoxybenzylidene)-4'-n-decylphenylanilines and their platinum(II) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes are reported. All the ligands and their metal chelates exhibit enantiotropic mesophases, predominantly smectic A and smectic C phases. The transition temperatures and enthalpies have been determined for most of the compounds. The platinum(II) complexes have higher melting points and mesophase thermal stabilities. However, the oxovanadium(IV) complexes have a wider thermal range for the mesophase. Both platinum(II) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes containing only a chain on the biphenyl moiety exhibit a nematic phase.     

Transition metals complexed to ordered mesophases. XIII. Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of potentially ferroelectric Schiff's base palladium(II) complexes

A series of N-[4'-(dodecyloxy)resorcylidene]-4-(RO*)-anilines (HL_n n = 1, R*O = (-)-cis-myrtanyl; n = 2, R*O = (-)-menthyl; n = 3, R*O = S-(-)-β-citronellyl; n = 4, R*O = R-(-)-2-octyl) has been synthesized and the mesomorphic properties investigated. These ligands are able to chelate a metal atom; accordingly three different series of palladium complexes, [(Ln)Pd(Ln)], [(Ln)Pd(Azoxy-6)] and [(L₃)Pd(Ph-Py_n)] (where Azoxy-6 and PhPy_n are cyclopalladated 4,4'-dihexyloxyazoxybenzene and 5-substituted-2-(4-substituted-phenyl)pyrimidine, respectively) have been prepared. The mesogenic HL₃ and HL₄ ligands exhibit a S*_C phase, retained in [(L₃)Pd(L₃)], which changes to a cholesteric phase in [(L₄)Pd(L₄)] and becomes the more ordered S*_H phase in the [(Ln)Pd(Azoxy-6)] (n = 3,4) derivatives. In contrast, in the [(L₃)Pd(Ph-Py_n)] compounds the mesomorphic phase is a S_A phase.     

Columnar metallomesogens based on vanadyl(VI) and cobalt(II) complexes of N,N'-bis[3-(3,4-dialkoxyphenyl)3-oxopropenyl]ethylenediamines

The preparation, characterization and mesomorphic properties of vanadyl(VI) and cobalt(II) complexes derived from N , N -bis[3-(3,4-dialkoxyphenyl)-3-oxopropenyl]ethylenediamines are described. These half-disk-shaped molecules exhibited columnar mesophases over a wide range of temperature, as characterized by DSC analysis and polarizing optical microscopy. The structure of the mesophases was also confirmed as columnar hexagonal (Col_ho) by powder XRD. The vanadyl complexes were found to have substantially higher clearing temperatures and wider mesophase temperatures than the analogous cobalt complexes. The influence of the metal centres on the mesomorphic temperatures may be attributed to better intermolecular dative association in the vanadyl complexes than in the cobalt complexes.     

Induced crystal G phase through intermolecular hydrogen bonding VII. Influence of non-covalent interactions on mesomorphism and crystallization kinetics

A series of intermolecular hydrogen bonding complexes, 2,2'-bipyridine: p- n-alkoxybenzoic acids (BP : nABA) was isolated from liquid crystalline p-n-alkoxybenzoic acids (nABA) (where n represents alkoxy carbon numbers, 3 to 10 and 12) and a non-mesogen, 2,2'-bipyridine (BP). The thermal and phase behaviour of these complexes was studied by thermal microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These studies revealed the induction of tilted smectic F and crystal G phases. The structural elucidation pertaining to the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding was carried out by a detailed IR spectral investigation. Comparative crystallization kinectic studies using DSC, performed on two representative compounds, showed different forms of the crystallization process. The magnitudes of the Avrami exponent n suggests two different mechanisms operate for individual members leading to sporadic three-dimensional growth. Nevertheless, an overall unique mechanism is predicted to operate at each crystallization temperature investigated, while the Avrami constant b shows a temperature dependence suggesting a strong influence of alkoxy terminal groups on the rates of nucleation.     

Columnar metallomesogens based on vanadyl(VI) and cobalt(II) complexes of N,N'-bis[3-(3,4-dialkoxyphenyl)3-oxopropenyl]ethylenediamines

The preparation, characterization and mesomorphic properties of vanadyl(VI) and cobalt(II) complexes derived from N, N -bis[3-(3,4-dialkoxyphenyl)-3-oxopropenyl]ethylenediamines are described. These half-disk-shaped molecules exhibited columnar mesophases over a wide range of temperature, as characterized by DSC analysis and polarizing optical microscopy. The structure of the mesophases was also confirmed as columnar hexagonal (Col_ho) by powder XRD. The vanadyl complexes were found to have substantially higher clearing temperatures and wider mesophase temperatures than the analogous cobalt complexes. The influence of the metal centres on the mesomorphic temperatures may be attributed to better intermolecular dative association in the vanadyl complexes than in the cobalt complexes.     

Discotic liquid crystals of transition metal complexes X. Phthalocyanine derivatives substituted with n-alkyloxyphenyl side chains

Octakis(alkyloxyphenyl)-phthalocyanine derivatives ((C_nOph)₈PcH₂ n = 8, 10 12 and 18), their corresponding copper (II) complexes ((C_nOph)₈PcCu, n = 10, 12 and 18) and octakis(2-ethylhexyl)-PcH₂ have been synthesized and their mesomorphic properties characterized. (C_nOph)₈PcH₂, (n = 12 and 18) exhibit hexagona disordered columnar mesophases whereas (C_nOph)₈PcCu (n = 12 and 18) yields a rectangular disordered columnar liquid crystal. An alkylphenyl-oxymethyl derivative, (C₁₂phOCH₂)₈PcH₂, was synthesized to determine the influence of the connecting link between the side chains and the phthalocyanine macrocycle on the mesomorphic properties.     

Hydrogen-bonded block mesogens derived from semiperfluorinated benzoic acids and the non-mesogenic 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene

Thermal properties of benzoic acids carrying one or two semiperfluorinated alkoxy tails on the aromatic core have been investigated in binary mixtures with the non-liquid crystalline bidirectional trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene. The hydrogen bonded complexes built from the complementary molecular species show a significantly enhanced mesophase stability compared with the fluorinated acids in their pure states. The mesophase morphologies of the complexes are governed mainly by the number of the partially fluorinated chains grafted to the acid component. Mixed systems comprising the one-chain acids exhibit a smectic C phase followed by a smectic A phase at more elevated temperatures. Incorporation of a second semiperfluorinated chain into the acid leads to the formation of columnar mesophases. These columnar phases of the H-bonded complexes should represent ribbon phases resulting from the collapse of the smectic layers.     

Rod-like liquid crystals of organic transition metal complexes. I. Reversible transformation between blue smectogen and red nematogen

Two novel types of transition-metal-containing liquid crystals, bis(p-n-koxydithiobenzoato)nickel(II) (abbreviated as (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni), and (p-n-alkoxydithiobenzoato)(p-n-alkoxyperthiobenzoato)nickel(II) (abbreviated as (C_nO-DTB)(C_nO-PTB)Ni), were synthesized. It was found that the (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni complex for n = 8 has smectic H and C mesophases, and that the (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni complexes for n = 4 and 8 easily transform into the corresponding monoperthio complexes, _nO-PTB)Ni, by heating at temperatures between 230°C and 285°C. It was confirmed that the transformation originates from an intermolecular reaction between the (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni complexes at high temperatures, and that the origin of the extra sulphurs in the resulting (C_nO-DTB)(C_nO-PTB)Ni complexes is the neighbouring (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni complexes. Interestingly, each of the (C_nO-DTB)(C_nO-PTB)Ni complexes (n = 4 and 8), has nematic mesophase and exhibits a unique double melting behaviour via the nematic phase, which is the first example in liquid crystals. The reversible transformation between the blue smectic rod-like (C_nO-DTB)₂Ni complex and the red nematic Λ-like (C_nO-DTB)(C_nO-PTB)Ni complex is possible.     

Sulphur containing mesogens. The mesophasic behaviour of di(4-alkyloxybenzoates) of 4,4'-dimercaptobiphenyl

A homologous series of di(4-alkyloxybenzoates) of 4,4'-dimercaptobiphenyl: CH₃(CH₂)_n-1O-C₆H₄-COS-C₆H₄-C₆H₄-SOC-C₆H₄-O(CH₂)_n-1CH₃,n=1-7, has been synthesized and the thermotropic liquid-crystalline behaviour investigated. All compounds exhibit enantiotropic mesomorphism over a remarkable temperature range. While the mesophase thermal stability is moderately higher than that found for the corresponding oxygenated analogues, the smectic stability is definitely lower. In fact, all the compounds are nematic but smectic mesomorphism (S_C) is observed for n = 7. Compounds with n = 6 or 7 exhibit enantiotropic highly ordered smectic (or disordered crystal) phases, probably S_G in type.     

Dimesogenic liquid crystal consisting of cholesterol and Schiff base moieties: dependence of LC properties on the spacer length and fluorination of the alkoxy tails

The liquid crystalline properties of two series of non-symmetric liquid crystal dimers consisting of cholesterol and Schiff base moieties interconnected by ω-oxyalkanoyl spacers of varying length are compared: one series (SBOC- n ) carry the octyloxy tail on the Schiff base mesogen, and the other (SBOF- n ) a perfluoroheptylmethyloxy tail. In general, compounds with the fluorinated alkoxy tail exhibited mesophases over a much wider temperature range than those with the alkoxy tail. The latter series favoured the formation of more diverse mesophases than the former. SBOC-4, -5 and -7, and SBOF-4, -5 and -10 formed the chiral smectic C phase.     

Hartree-fock and Hückel-like orbital energies: an elementary extension to Koopmans‘ theorem

For a closed-shell MO configuration with 2n electrons which occupy n non-degenerate canonical MOs, it is deduced that the RHF energy, Σⁿ_i=1[2H⁰_n+Σⁿ_j-1(2J_ij-K_ij)], may be expressed in Hückel-like form as 2Σⁿ_i-1ε, −Σⁿ_i-1[j_i(λ+1)+1,(λ+2)] with λ=2(n-i). The l_i(λ+1) and I_i(λ+2) are the ionization potentials for the HOMO ψ, which arises after λ and λ+1 electrons have been successively removed from the initial configuration.     

Cholesterol-based dimeric liquid crystals: synthesis and mesomorphic behaviour

Chiral non-symmetric dimeric liquid crystals consisting of a cholesteryl ester moiety as chiral entity and a biphenyl aromatic core, interconnected through n-butyl (C₄) or n-pentyl (C₅) parity alkylene spacers, have been synthesized and investigated for their liquid crystalline properties. All the dimers exhibit enantiotropic mesophases. The first member of the dimers having the C₄ central spacer exhibit only the chiral nematic (N*) mesophase, while the higher homologues also show smectic A (SmA) and twist grain boundary (TGB) mesophases. The dimers of the other series containing the C₅ central spacer also have stable SmA, TGB and N* mesophases, except for the first which does not show the TGB phase. Both series of compounds show a weak odd-even effect with terminal alkyl chain substitution, while the spacer length has a marked influence on the phase transition temperatures.     

The SmCPA phase in five-ring bent-core compounds derived from 5-methoxyisophthalic acid

The synthesis and mesophase characterization of a homologous series of five-ring bent-core compounds derived from 5-methoxyisophthalic acid are described. Most of the compounds exhibit a polar antiferroelectric smectic C phase. Replacement of the terminal n-alkoxy chains by n-alkyl carboxylate groups, not only destabilizes the formation of mesophases but induces a calamitic mesophase. However, extension of the arms of the bent-core molecule by a phenyl moiety stabilizes the switchable phase. The mesophases were investigated using a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical methods.     

Synthesis and characterization of dinuclear p-, m- and o-xylyl bridged complexes of molybdenum and tungsten. The crystal structures of μ-p-xylyl- bis(η-pentamethyl-cyclopentadienyltri- carbonylmolybdenum) and μ-m-xylyl-bis(η- pentamethylcyclopentadienyltricarbonyltungsten)

The reactions of η⁵-Cp^*M(CO)₃Na (M = Mo, W) with ,′-p-, m- and o-dichloro-xylenes yielded p-, m- and o-xylyl bridged dinuclear complexes of η⁵-Cp^*M(CO)₃ in high yields. All of such new complexes are stable to air and water, even stable in dilute acids and bases.