Oligothiophene dyes for guest-host liquid crystal displays

Three types of donor-acceptor-substituted bithiophene and terthiophene compounds were studied as dichroic dyes, which were dissolved in liquid crystals. These compounds were found to have large absorption coefficients, high dichroic ratios, excellent hues, and to be very attractive for guest-host-type liquid crystal displays. They also showed good solvatochromic behaviour in liquid crystal and cyclohexane solutions. These properties were found to be closely related to the solubilities of these compounds in liquid crystals. One donor-acceptorsubstituted bithiophene was found to behave as a polarity indicator in various kinds of liquid crystal.     

Synthesis and characterisation of liquid crystalline anthraquinone dyes with excellent dichroism and solubility

A novel series of dichroic anthraquinone dyes have been successfully synthesised with conventional Sonogashira reaction. These synthesised anthraquinone dyes were found to have high dichroic ratios, good solubilities, excellent hues and to be potential candidates for guest–host liquid crystal displays. The dichroic ratio is as high as 13.26, which is in the top level of the anthraquinone dyes reported so far. In addition, this paper provides an effective method to modulate the optic properties of anthraquinone dyes from the molecular level via the introduction of different radicals on the anthraquinone cores.     

Synthesis and properties of terthiophene and bithiophene derivatives functionalized by BF2 chelation: a new type of electron acceptor based on quadrupolar structures

Terthiophene and bithiophene derivatives functionalized by BF(2) chelation were synthesized as a new type of electron acceptor, and their properties were compared to those of bifuran and biphenyl derivatives. These new compounds are characterized by quadrupolar structures due to resonance contributors generated by BF(2) chelation. The bithiophene derivative has a strong quadrupolar character compared with the bifuran and biphenyl derivatives because their hydrolytic analyses indicated that the bithiophene moiety has a larger on-site Coulomb repulsion than the others. The terthiophene derivative has a smaller on-site Coulomb repulsion than the bithiophene derivative due to the addition of a thiophene spacer. These BF(2) complexes exhibit long-wavelength absorptions and according to measurements of ionization potentials and absorption edges they have energetically low-lying HOMOs and LUMOs. The crystal structure of the bithiophene derivative is of the herringbone type, with short F···S and F···C contacts affording dense crystal packing. n-Type semiconducting behaviour was observed in organic field-effect transistors based on these BF(2) complexes.     

Alignment of liquid crystal and dichroic dye molecules in mixed Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

A study of dichroic dye-liquid crystal mixtures (guest-host systems) in monolayers formed at a gas-liquid interface (Langmuir films) and at a solid surface (Langmuir-Blodgett films) has been made. As a host 4- n -octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) or 4- n -pentyl-4"-cyano- p -terphenyl (5CT) were chosen, while three dichroic azo dyes with various molecular structures were used as guest species. The dyes were added to the liquid crystal matrices at a concentration corresponding to the whole range of molar fractions and the surface pressure-mean molecular area isotherms for Langmuir films were recorded. On the basis of the isotherms, conclusions about the molecular organization and the miscibility of the components in the ultrathin films were drawn. The Langmuir films were transferred onto the quartz plates at surface pressures below the collapse point. The polarized absorption spectra of the Langmuir-Blodgett films were recorded and information about the alignment and intermolecular interactions in the mixtures of the non-amphiphilic dichroic dyes and the liquid crystals with strongly polar terminal groups were obtained.     

meso-四(间烷氧基苯基)卟啉及其铜配合物的合成、 表征和性能研究

设计合成了meso-四(间烷氧基苯基)卟啉及其19个铜配合物, 其中16个为未见报道的化合物. 研究了其合成、分离、纯化方法, 得到了这两个系列化合物的晶体或固体, 其结构经 1H NMR, MS, IR, UV和元素分析确证. 研究了这两个系列化合物的液晶性能, 发现13个化合物具有液晶性, 其液晶行为表现为升温单变液晶. 还研究了烷氧基链长、金属离子和分子空间结构对卟啉化合物液晶性能的影响.     

meso-四(邻烷氧基苯基)卟啉合锌的合成、表征和性能研究

用邻烷氧基苯甲醛与吡咯缩合合成meso-四(邻烷氧基苯基)卟啉, 再与醋酸锌配合反应合成了meso-四(邻烷氧基苯基)卟啉合锌配合物10个, 其中未见文献报道的配合物9个, 得到该系列配合物的晶体或固体. 用¹H NMR, MS, IR, UV, 元素分析等表征确证了该系列配合物的结构. 用差示扫描量热法和偏光显微镜研究了该系列配合物的液晶性能, 发现6个配合物具有液晶性, 其液晶行为表现为升温单变液晶.     

Alignment of liquid crystal and dichroic dye molecules in mixed Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

A study of dichroic dye-liquid crystal mixtures (guest-host systems) in monolayers formed at a gas-liquid interface (Langmuir films) and at a solid surface (Langmuir-Blodgett films) has been made. As a host 4- n -octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) or 4- n -pentyl-4″-cyano- p -terphenyl (5CT) were chosen, while three dichroic azo dyes with various molecular structures were used as guest species. The dyes were added to the liquid crystal matrices at a concentration corresponding to the whole range of molar fractions and the surface pressure-mean molecular area isotherms for Langmuir films were recorded. On the basis of the isotherms, conclusions about the molecular organization and the miscibility of the components in the ultrathin films were drawn. The Langmuir films were transferred onto the quartz plates at surface pressures below the collapse point. The polarized absorption spectra of the Langmuir-Blodgett films were recorded and information about the alignment and intermolecular interactions in the mixtures of the non-amphiphilic dichroic dyes and the liquid crystals with strongly polar terminal groups were obtained.     

Molecular organization in binary mixtures of derivatives of naphthalenebicarboxylic acid and naphthoylenebenzimidazole with a liquid crystal in two-dimensional layers

Langmuir films of some dichroic dyes, namely derivatives of naphthalenebicarboxylic acid and derivatives of naphthoylenebenzimidazole, as well as of their mixtures with the liquid crystals 4-octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) and 4-pentyl-4'-cyano-p-terphenyl (5CT) were prepared. Surface pressure/mean molecular area isotherms were recorded from which some information about the alignment of molecules in a monomolecular layer at an air-water interface could be deduced. It was found that the properties of the monolayer are highly sensitive to the molecular structure of the side groups substituted on the main skeleton of the dye molecule, and to the mixture composition. Moreover, information about the miscibility or the phase separation of the two components in Langmuir films formed from dye/liquid crystal mixtures was obtained by using the excess area criterion and surface pressure rules.     

Molecular organization in binary mixtures of derivatives of naphthalenebicarboxylic acid and naphthoylenebenzimidazole with a liquid crystal in two-dimensional layers

Langmuir films of some dichroic dyes, namely derivatives of naphthalenebicarboxylic acid and derivatives of naphthoylenebenzimidazole, as well as of their mixtures with the liquid crystals 4-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) and 4-pentyl-4″-cyano-p-terphenyl (5CT) were prepared. Surface pressure/mean molecular area isotherms were recorded from which some information about the alignment of molecules in a monomolecular layer at an air–water interface could be deduced. It was found that the properties of the monolayer are highly sensitive to the molecular structure of the side groups substituted on the main skeleton of the dye molecule, and to the mixture composition. Moreover, information about the miscibility or the phase separation of the two components in Langmuir films formed from dye/liquid crystal mixtures was obtained by using the excess area criterion and surface pressure rules.     

Synthesis and characterization of new series of ferroelectric liquid crystals containing oligooxyethylene spacers

Four series of ferroelectric liquid crystals containing oligooxyethylene spacers have been synthesized. These obtained liquid crystal compounds were characterized by NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical polarized microscopy (POM). The properties of the liquid crystalline phase were investigated as a function of spacer units, numbers of core aromatic rings, and different terminal asymmetric moieties. It was found that (i) the phase transition temperature decreased with the increasing oligooxyethylene spacer unit, (ii) the liquid crystalline phases were enhanced in three phenyl ring system than in two phenyl ring system, and (iii) ferroelectric liquid crystals containing different terminal asymmetric moieties exhibited novel mesophase phenomena. A twist grain boundary phase (TGB_A phase) was observed in some compounds of this study. Furthermore, a wide temperature chiral smectic Crange including room temperature was achieved.     

氯化meso-四(对烷氧基苯基)卟啉合铁(Ⅲ)的合成、表征和性能

设计合成了10个氯化meso-四(对烷氧基苯基)卟啉合铁(Ⅲ)配合物, 其中7个尚未见文献报道. 用1H NMR, MS, IR, UV和元素分析等技术表征了该系列配合物的结构. 用差示扫描量热法和偏光显微镜研究结果表明8个配合物具有液晶性, 其液晶行为分别表现为升温单变液晶和升温降温互变液晶; 有1~2个中介相, 相变区间Δt最宽为128 ℃, Δt最窄为42 ℃, 液晶起始相变温度最高为80 ℃, 最低为42 ℃; 清亮点tc最高为181 ℃, 最低为110 ℃; 考察了烷氧基链长、配位金属离子及配合物分子空间结构对液晶性能的影响. 通过荧光光谱分析进一步验证了氯化卟啉合铁(Ⅲ)可以转化为μ-氧-双卟啉合铁(Ⅲ).     

液晶性芳香酰胺化合物的合成

合成了一系列炖粹以酰胺基为中心桥键的刚性芳香酰胺小分子化合物，并对其作了表征，发现其中有些化合物具有液晶性。酰胺键之间能形成很强的分子间氢键，使芳香酰胺小分子化合物的熔点很高，难于形成液成液晶态。研究发现，如果在这类化合物的中心苯环上引入合适的取代基以减弱分子间氢键，同时引入合适的末端基时，则可使芳香酰胺化合物生成液晶相的能力增强。     

Physical properties of chlorinated liquid crystals

Dielectric, optical and electro-optical properties of four chlorinated nematic liquid crystal compounds and a eutectic mixture were characterized. Some chlorinated liquid crystals are found to exhibit a wide nematic range, modest dielectric and optical anisotropies, low viscosity and small UV absorption. Potential application of mixtures containing chlorinated liquid crystals for information displays in the visible spectral region is foreseeable.     

The inversion phenomenon of the helical twist sense in antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase from electronic and vibrational circular dichroism

The investigation of the helical pitch and the helical twist sense for several liquid crystal compounds in antiferroelectric phase have been performed. Electronic circular dichroic (ECD) and vibrational circular dichroic (VCD) spectroscopies have proved the existence of unwound helical structure in antiferroelctric phase. Obtained results may confirm the assumption connected via the inversion phenomena in liquid crystalline chiral phase with the change of the concentration of different conformers promoting opposite handedness. Two examples of such conformers, obtained by conformational analysis, have been proposed.     

Stable Liquid Crystals with Large Negative Dielectric Anisotropy. Part IV

Stable liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy containing the bicyclo [2.2.2]octyl group were synthesized. The incorporation of this moiety in the molecules increased the thermodynamic stability of the mesophase and lowered the smectic tendency. These new compounds can be useful in liquid crystal mixtures for homeotropic nematic displays.     

Advantageous voltage-holding ratio characteristics induced by in-plane electric fields, and the optimization concept of liquid crystals for an in-plane switching electro-optical effect

In-plane switching (IPS) of liquid crystals showed advantageous voltage-holding ratio (VHR) characteristics so that liquid crystals with low resistivity could provide higher VHRs compared with the twisted nematic effect. This experimental result was obtained when electric fields were applied approximately parallel to the substrate plane using the IPS electro-optical effect. We found that the in-plane electric field generates supplementary capacities which support retention of an externally applied voltage over the liquid crystal layer during non-selected periods of the active matrix driving scheme, because the liquid crystal layer can be connected with an insulating layer, an orientation layer and even a substrate in parallel. Based on these advantageous VHR characteristics, liquid crystal materials suitable for the IPS effect were appropriately optimized. We propose evaluation parameters, derived from the physical switching principles of the liquid crystals, to obtain lower driving voltage and faster response speeds. These parameters are effective in optimizing the physical properties of liquid crystals without variation of the cell gap. We use the proposed evaluation parameters and the advantageous VHR characteristics to demonstrate the optimization approach and we suggest a novel possible use of liquid crystal materials with low resistivity which cannot be implemented conventionally. Finally, we prove that liquid crystals with low resistivity generate the Ir internal potential by the drift of ionic species.     

μ-氧-双[meso-四(对烷氧基苯基)卟啉合铁(III)]的合成、表征和液晶性

设计合成了未见文献报道的μ-氧-双[meso-四(对烷氧基苯基)卟啉合铁(III)]配合物9个, 研究了其合成、分离、纯化方法, 用MS, ¹H NMR, IR, UV, 元素分析等方法剖析确证了目标化合物的结构, 其结构我们认为是μ-氧桥联的二聚体结构, 且存在两种典型空间构象结构(重叠式和交叉式), 表现为同一系列化合物存在四类¹H NMR谱. 用差示扫描量热仪和偏光显微镜研究了这9个化合物的液晶性, 发现9个化合物均具有液晶性, 多为升温降温互变液晶, 具有丝状光学织构. 有一至三个中介相, 相变起始温度最低为－6 ℃, 最高为210 ℃; 相变区间最宽为301 ℃, 最窄为50 ℃; 清亮点(T_c)最高315 ℃, 最低147 ℃. 考察了烷氧基链长、配位金属离子及配合物分子空间结构对液晶性能的影响. 我们认为这种μ-氧桥联的二聚体结构比单层平面卟啉及其金属配合物具有更好的液晶性.     

Copolymerizable initiator for improved polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

The problems of photoinitiator contamination are addressed for the liquid crystal phase in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films formed by photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal from monomer solutions. Initiator contamination lowers the clearing point of the liquid crystal phase, and decreases the photostability and resistivity of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal. These problems are minimized by replacing the conventional photoinitiators with copolymerizable initiators which become incorporated in the polymer phase as it separates. Copolymerizable photoinitiators are studied and used to form polymer dispersed liquid crystals with higher clearing point liquid crystal phases, higher resistivity, and better photostability than polymer dispersed liquid crystals formed with conventional photoinitiators. These improvements provide very significant advantages for many polymer dispersed liquid crystal applications.     

Transitions in Solvate Crystals of a Tetraaryladamantane

Obtaining high-resolution structures of liquid compounds can be difficult. Encapsulating them in the lattice of a larger organic molecule acting as crystallization chaperone is one option to overcome this difficulty. Tetraaryladamantane ethers can play the role of chaperones, accommodating a range of different guest molecules in their crystals. How well-ordered crystalline arrangements for molecules of different shape are achieved is not clear. Cases in which more than one structure is found may shed light on this phenomenon. Here, we report low-order cubic crystal structures of 1,3,5,7-tetrakis(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)adamantane (TDA) encapsulating ortho-xylene or cyclohexane, together with better ordered structures obtained after warming the crystals to 60 °C. Evidence for cubic crystal systems was also found for limonene, hexachlorobutadiene and eucalyptol, with a transition to a triclinic system for the former two, but no transition up to 70 °C for the latter. These findings indicate that some solvate structures of TDA can readily undergo structural transitions to less solvated, better ordered systems. Crystals obtained by rapid thermal crystallization may be in kinetically trapped states, and the transition to a solvate-free crystal system appears to have a kinetic barrier that depends strongly on the structure of the liquid guest molecules encapsulated in the lattice.     

新颖的含乙炔桥键液晶分子设计与合成

为降低液晶分子的双折射率并获得宽液晶相区, 用环己基替代传统二苯乙炔液晶分子中的一个苯环, 得到一类结构新颖的含乙炔桥键的负介电各向异性液晶分子4a, 4b. 目标化合物采用1-trans-4-(trans-4-正戊基环己基)环己基乙炔与4-碘-2,3-二氟苯基醚进行Sonogashira偶联反应制备, 反应总产率27%～28%. 产物结构经MS, IR, NMR鉴定确认. 采用DSC结合偏光显微镜对液晶相变温度进行了测试, 结果表明新化合物4a, 4b清亮点分别为212, 216 ℃, 向列相温区均达到140 ℃, 与传统二苯乙炔类液晶的相变温区基本相当. 物理性能测试表明, 分子骨架共轭程度的削弱不仅使双折射率大幅降低, 而且介电各向异性绝对值还有所增大, 为分子设计提供了新的思路. 新化合物综合性能得到显著改善, 在大尺寸液晶电视领域具有非常好的应用前景.