Columnar liquid crystals in oligosaccharide derivatives. II. Two types of discotic columnar liquid-crystalline phase of cellobiose alkanoates

A series of cellobiose octaalkanoates, Cel-II-n (n is the carbon number of the alkyl chain), with n = 7-14 were prepared and their mesogenic properties examined by differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarizing microscopy and X-ray diffraction. All of these compounds form enantiotropic discotic columnar phases, in which the columns are built up by a regular stacking of the cellobiose moieties and are packed in a two dimensional lattice. Homologues with n = 9-14 form the D_ho phase only whilst the compound with n = 7 forms the D_ro phase. The n = 8 compound forms the D_ho phase at higher temperatures and the D_ro phase at lower temperatures. Structural parameters obtained from X-ray diffraction studies are presented for both phases.     

Density and refractive index measurements in hexaheptyloxytriphenylene,a discotic liquid crystal

Density and refractive index measurements in the discotic liquid crystal hexaheptyloxytriphenylene were performed in the hexagonal columnar Col_ho and isotropic I phases. The temperature dependence of the density ρ(T) for this compound was obtained by combining small angle X-ray data and capillary methods. The ordinary n _o extraordinary n _e and isotropic liquid n _i refractive indices were measured using a modified Abbe refractometer to an accuracy of about 10^?3. To check the consistency of the density and the refractometry experiments we used the Lorentz–Lorenz relation. An anomaly in the empirical relationship at the Col_ho–I phase transition, which holds for many uniaxial liquid crystals, was detected. A discrepancy between low birefringence Δn～0.109 and a relatively high local electric field anisotropy for hexaheptyloxytriphenylene is discussed.     

Structure–property relationships in lath-shaped triads based on multialkynylbenzene

This report elaborates the synthesis of symmetrical triads based on multialkynylbenzene linked via flexible alkyl spacers. Four mesogens were synthesised in which multialkynylbenzene units were connected to each other in a side-by-side fashion with varying flexible alkyl spacers. The compound with longest alkyl spacer, i.e. n = 7, exhibited N_D phase which has been characterised by polarised optical microscopy and detailed X-ray scattering studies (small/wide-angle X-ray scattering). Surprisingly, this triad shows N_D phase at high temperature as compared to our previous reports on room-temperature N_D phases.     

Phase transitional behaviour of S-shaped oligomers incorporating biphenylene and cholesterol entities

A new series of symmetrical S-shaped oligomers 4,4′-bis[(5-cholesteryloxycarbonylpentyl alkoxy)hexyloxy]biphenyl consisting of outer spacers –(COCH₂)_n– as well as an inner spacer –(CH₂)₆– has been synthesised. Their liquid crystalline properties and phase transition temperatures with associated enthalpy changes are recorded. The outer spacers are varied from n = 5–8 to 10 and 11. The compounds with even spacer exhibit enantiotropic phase and oligomers with odd parity display monotropic phase. The oligomers with odd membered n = 5, 7 and 11 exhibit N* and SmC* phases upon cooling. Whilst upon heating, the homologues with even-numbered member n = 6 and 10 show N* phase and upon cooling, both compounds exhibit N* and SmC* phases. However, oligomer with outer spacer n = 8 displays enantiotropic N* and SmC* phases. The temperature range of N* phase for even and odd membered decreased as the outer spacers are increased. The odd–even effect has been found in the I–N* transition temperatures where the odd-parity oligomers exhibit lower values when compared to compounds of an even-parity series. The X-ray diffraction measurements reveal the appearance of SmC* phase that can be associated with the monolayer ordering of these oligomers.     

N.M.R. study of segmental molecular interactions in liquid crystals

Abstract

A simple statistical model of interacting non-rigid molecules, based on a perturbation expansion of the pair correlation function and the additivity of segmental interactions, is applied to the study of orientational order as measured by N.M.R. in the nematic and S_A phases of 4-n-alkyl-4′-cyanobiphenyls (N-CB, N = 5 to 8), the nematic and S_C phases of 4-n-alkyloxybenzoic acids (N-OBA, N = 7, 8) and the D _h0 columnar discotic phase of hexa-alkyloxytriphenylenes (N-THE, N = 5 to 8). The order parameters of each homologous series are correctly described in terms of two isotropic and two anisotropic segmental coupling constants. The model predicts certain relations among coupling constants pertaining to different homogous series. These predictions are supported by the results obtained for the three types of compounds studied.     

Design and characterization of novel supramolecular liquid crystals involving multiple hydrogen bonds

A novel type of liquid crystalline system, namely 5-[4-(4-methoxyphenylazo)phenyloxyalkyloxy]isophthalic acidhydrazides (Dn , n = 3, 6, 10) was designed and synthesized. The FTIR spectra of the Dn compounds were examined in the range 4000-1000 cm^?1 at different temperatures. The results showed that the stretching vibration frequencies of the NH and C=O groups, and the NH₂ deformation shifted to lower frequencies with decrease of temperature, while out-of-plane NH bending shifted slightly to higher frequency. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding between NH, NH₂ and C=O groups is proposed and the schematic supramolecular Dn structure is given. This may explain the higher Dn transitional temperatures and their smectic phase behaviour compared with that of 5-[4-(4-methoxyphenylazo)phenyloxyalkyloxy]isophthalic acid diethyl esters.     

The mesophases of octa-alkanoyloxy-9,10-anthraquinone

Abstract

Nine members of the octa-n-alkanoyloxy-9,10-anthraquinone series, ranging from octanoyloxy (n = 8) to hexadecanoyloxy (n = 16) (where n is the number of carbon atoms per chain), were prepared and their mesomorphic properties studied by differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. All the compounds studied are mesomorphic with the higher homologues exhibiting two (for n ≧ 12) or even three (for n ≧ 14) columnar mesophases. For n = 8 to 11, the phase sequence is C-D_B-I, where D_B is an optically biaxial mesophase with a two-dimensional pgg symmetry. For n = 12, 13, the phase sequence is C-M₃-D_B-I, where M₃ is a highly ordered phase whose structure has not been identified. Finally for n = 14 to 16, the phase sequence is C-M₃-D_B-D_A-I, where D_A is an hexagonal phase. In all cases, the phases change from high to low order with increasing temperature and all transitions are first order. Compared with the corresponding hexa-substituted naphthoquinones the present series generates larger mesomorphic ranges and the higher homologues exhibit a uniaxial phase which is lacking in the hexa-substituted series. The increase in volume occupied by the aliphatic chains in the octa-substituted series is evidently sufficient to reduce the interaction between the aromatic cores of the different columns to permit the stability of a uniaxial phase.     

Phase relations of the Cr2O3TiO2 system

The phase relations of the system Cr₂O₃TiO₂ were determined at temperatures between 1400 and 1765°C in air. Discrete homologous series of Cr₂Ti_n?2O_2n?1, with n = 6, 7, 8, were found to be stable as single phases in the range of certain temperatures, while a continuous solid solution existed in the composition of n > 8 below 1425°C. This presence and its stable region of a new compound of Cr₂TiO₅ corresponding to n = 3 are revealed in the present paper. Cr₂Ti₂O₇, the so-called E phase, existed in wide homogeneity range, corresponding to the composition of approximately 3 < n < 5. High-temperature phases (called n and n′ phases in the present work) existed above 1425°C and seemed to be closely related to each other from the viewpoint of the structure except that some X-ray diffraction lines of n phase were strongly diffused. Both rutile and chromia had limited solid solubilities. In the present paper, phase relations between Cr₂O₃ and TiO₂ are summarized in a phase diagram.     

The formation of a series of barium tungsten bronzes

The phases occurring in samples of gross composition Ba_xWO₃ (0.01 < x < 0.33) heated at temperatures between 1073 and 1373°K have been determined using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. At all temperatures a tetragonal tungsten bronze phase with a narrow homogeneity range of x = 0.20?0.21 was observed to form. In addition, at temperatures up to 1273°K, a series of orthorhombic intergrowth bronzes forms within a restricted composition range around x = 0.04. The latter phases are unstable at higher temperatures and were not found in preparations made at 1323°K. Similarly a new type of bronze phase forms at x = 0.14?0.16 at temperatures up to 1323°K, but not at 1373°K. The structure of this phase is unknown. Aspects of the crystal chemistry of the barium bronzes and the relationships to other bronze phases are discussed.     

Enhanced conductivity and dielectric absorption in discotic liquid crystalline columnar phases of a vanadyl complex

A liquid crystalline vanadyl complex has been studied by DSC, polarizing optical microscopy, the reversal current technique, X-ray diffraction and frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy. The compound exhibits three columnar phases: rectangular ordered (Col_ro), rectangular disordered (Col_rd), and hexagonal disordered (Col_hd), all of which show a dielectric relaxation process at low frequencies. In the Col_ro low temperature phase this process seems to be connected with a slow relaxation of polarized polymeric chains inside the columns (mHz frequency range). However, in the Col_hd high temperature disordered phase this relaxation is faster (Hz range). It is interesting that the liquid crystalline phases studied show enhanced conductivity which changes by four orders of magnitude from 10^?9 S m^?1 in the orientationally disordered crystal (an ODIC phase) to 10^?5 S m^?1 in the Col_hd high temperature phase. Such a value of the conductivity is typical for semiconducting materials.     

High speed parallel synthesis of banana-shaped molecules and phase transition behaviour of 4-bromo-substituted derivatives

Novel derivative series of the well known bent-shaped P-n-O-PIMB liquid crystal mesogens, referred to as ‘4Br-P-n-O-PIMB’, ‘4Cl-P-n-O-PIMB’ and ‘5Cl-P-n-O-PIMB’, having halogen atoms substituted on the phenyl ring in the central core, were synthesized by solution phase parallel synthesis based on a combinatorial approach. The mesomorphic behaviour and physical properties of all the new compounds were studied by means of optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray and circular dichroism spectroscopy. We found interesting transitional behaviour for the 4Br-P-n-O-PIMB homologous series. The homologues with alkyl tails having carbon numbers of n=3–10, 12, 14 exhibit rather complicated mesomorphic behaviour, which is strongly sensitive to n. The chiral fluid smectic B2 phase with SmC_AP_A structure and unidentified smectic Bx phase were observed in the homologues with n=9, 10, 12, 14 and n=3–5, respectively. Interestingly, every member exhibits frustrated and/or helical ordered phases at low temperatures, designated as X1, X2, and X3 phases, which result from a spontaneous escape from a macroscopic polarization. The mesomorphic behaviour and mesophase structures differ remarkably from those of the parent P-n-O-PIMB homologues, suggesting that substitution of the halogen atoms at the central core essentially creates a particular interaction between molecules.     

Novel supramolecular columnar liquid crystals based on thiosemicarbazides

Novel liquid crystal materials based on 3,4-di-n-alkoxybenzoylthiosemicarbazides (3a–h, n = 5–10, 12, 14) were synthesised. The mesomorphic properties of these compounds were characterised and studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Compound 3a did not show mesomorphic properties; 3b shows a monotropic hexagonal columnar (Col_h) phase. Compounds 3c–h display an enantiotropic Col_h phase. The mesomorphic properties were found to be dependent on the length of alkoxy side chains. In N,N-dimethylformamide solution, all the compounds displayed a room temperature emission with λ_max at 361–332 nm. A thermogravimetric analysis also was performed.     

Mesomorphic phase transitions of tetraphenylporphyrins with four long aliphatic chains

Abstract

Studies of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-n-alkylphenyl)porphyrins revealed that the homologues with longer alkyl chains than hexyl were mesomorphic, in contrast to the non-mesomorphic alkoxy derivatives. Metal complexes (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pd) of the dodecyl derivative were also shown to exhibit mesophases. These mesophases were assigned as discotic lamellar (D_L) phases by X-ray diffraction studies.     

Novel mesophases in fluorine substituted banana-shaped mesogens

A new homologous series of achiral banana-shaped mesogens ('Dn') has been synthesized and studied by the classical techniques (optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, miscibility studies and electro-optic investigations). The short homologues (D6-D8) exhibit a two-dimensional phase 'B1_x' different from a B1 phase with a rectangular lattice. The longer homologues (D9-D14) present a mesophase which displays the defects of the B7 phase of the PIMB-NO₂ compounds. Nevertheless the D9-D14 mesophase is not miscible with the B7 phase, and contrary to B7, exhibits a bistable behaviour ('ferroelectric' type) suggesting at least a B7 variant.     

Synthesis of 2-D graphite-like and 3-D diamond-like silver(I) polymers with 1,3-imidazolidine-2-thione

Two metal–organic coordination polymers, [Ag₂(imdt)₃(OAc)₂] _n (1) (imdt = 1,3-imidazolidine-2-thione, OAc = CH₃COO^?) and [Ag(imdt)Cl] _n (2), were synthesized under similar conditions by using Et₃N (triethylamine) as buffering agent. X-ray diffraction shows that 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, C2 /c space group, a = 13.822(5) Å, b = 9.082(3) Å, c = 16.965(6) Å, V = 2114.2(14) ų, Z = 8, D _c = 2.012 g cm^?3. Compound 2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, P2₁2₁2₁ space group, a = 7.993(6) Å, b = 7.993(6) Å, c = 10.548(7) Å, V = 673.9(7) ų, Z = 4, D _c = 2.419 g cm^?3. Both 1 and 2 exhibit different architectures due to their different anions. Compound 1 shows a 2-D graphite-like network structure and 2 shows a 3-D diamond-like network structure.     

The structure changes in Sn1− x Ti x alloys at transition from liquid to solid state

The structures of Sn_{1– x} Ti _x (x = 0.00; 0.02, 0.05, 0.15, 0.25; 0.35; 0.45) alloys were studied by X-ray diffraction at different temperatures. The structure factors, pair correlation functions, and parameters obtained were analysed. It is shown that the structures of the liquid alloys are inhomogeneous in the pre-crystallisation temperature region. The solidified phases are in agreement with the equilibrium phase diagram. The X-ray diffraction data were used for the specification of the liquidus line position.     

The synthesis and liquid crystalline behaviour of alkoxy‐substituted derivatives of 1,4‐bis(phenylethynyl)benzene

Despite the prevalence of organised 1,4‐bis(phenylethynyl)benzene derivatives in molecular electronics, the interest in the photophysics of these systems and the common occurrence of phenylethynyl moeties in molecules that exhibit liquid crystalline phases, the phase behaviour of simple alkoxy‐substituted 1,4‐bis(phenylethynyl)benzene derivatives has not yet been described. Two series of 1,4‐bis(phenylethynyl)benzene derivatives, i.e. 1‐[(4′‐alkoxy)phenylethynyl]‐4‐(phenylethynyl)benzenes (5a–5f) and methyl 4‐[(4″‐alkoxy)phenylethynyl‐4′‐(phenylethynyl)] benzoates (18a–18f) [alkoxy = n‐C₄H₉ (a), n‐C₆H₁₃ (b), n‐C₉H₁₉ (c), n‐C₁₂H₂₅ (d), n‐C₁₄H₂₉ (e), n‐C₁₆H₃₃ (f)] have been prepared and characterised. Both series have good chemical stability at temperatures up to 210°C, the derivatives featuring the methyl ester head‐group (18a–18f) offering rather higher melting points and generally stabilising a more diverse range of mesophases at higher temperatures than those found for the simpler compounds (5a–5f). Smectic phases are stabilised by the longer alkoxy substituents, whereas for short and intermediate chain lengths of the simpler system (5a–5c) nematic phases dominate. Diffraction analysis was used to identify the SmB_hex phase in (5d–5f) that is stable within a temperature range of approximately 120–140°C. The relationships between the organisation of molecules within these moderate temperature liquid crystalline phases and other self‐organised states (e.g. Langmuir‐Blodgett films) remain to be explored.     

Effect of spacer length on mesomorphic behaviours of chiral liquid crystal compounds containing (-)-menthyl

ABSTRACT

A homologous series of new chiral liquid crystal compounds, MnBEB (n = 4–10), was prepared by covalently linking a chiral (–)-menthyl with biphenyl-benzoate via a dicarboxylic spacer of varying length and parity. A combination of analysis methods, such as FT-IR, ¹H NMR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarised optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction was carried out to systematically investigate their phase structures and phase transition behaviours. The length and parity of the flexible spacers has a profound influence on the T_m and T_c and a modest odd-even effect is observed for the chiral liquid crystal compounds MnBEB. Only compound M4BEB developed an N* phase with selectively reflection on heating and a blue phase on cooling process. In addition, increasing the length of the flexible spacers tends to narrow the temperature range of the N* phase and widen the smectic phase, moreover, the pitch becomes longer with the spacer increases.     

Dimesogenic liquid crystalline organosiloxanes

Liquid crystalline (LC) organosiloxanes with two terminal cyanobiphenylyl groups attached to a linear or cyclic siloxane center through an aliphatic spacer (CH₂) _n with i = 10 were synthesized. The ability of compounds to pass into the LC state was confirmed by thermooptical, X-ray diffraction, and calorimetric measurements. The temperatures and the enthalpies of phase transitions were determined. The types of LC structures and the capability of one compound for polymesomorphism to form the chiral S_mC* phase without a chiral center in the mesogenic group were established. The temperatures and the enthalpies of the reversible phase transitions, crystal S_mC S_mA melt and crystal S_mA melt, for linear and cyclic LC organosiloxanes, respectively, were determined. Models of molecular packing in the S_mA and S_mC* phases were proposed based on X-ray diffraction data. A specific feature of the S_mA phases of new LC organosiloxanes is a negative gradient of the temperature dependence of the interlayer spacing.     

A convenient synthesis and the mesomorphic properties of new chiral ferroelectric thiobenzoates

A secondary chiral (R)-(?)-2-alcohol underwent the Mitsunobu reaction with triphenylphosphine, diethyl azodicarboxylate and ethyl 4-hydroxybiphenylcarboxylate, resulting in the desired (S)-(+)-product with high enantiomeric purity (>99% ee), with the chiral branched chain attached to the biphenyl. This method is operationally simple and provides the very important chiral precursor in good yields (62% in dry THF and 72% in dry Et₂O). The condensation of the (S)-(+)-acid chloride from this material and a suitable 4-n-alkylthiophenol in toluene in the presence of pyridine or triethylamine furnishes the chiral (S)-(+)-thiobenzoate liquid crystals in good yields (80–83% in pyridine and 65–68% in Et₃N). (S)-(+)-4-(1-Methylheptyloxy)biphenyl 4-alkylthiobenzoates are abbreviated (S)-MHOBSn , where n varies from 4 to 10 and denotes the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. DSC, polarizing microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that the (S)-MHOBSn series possesses a rich phase polymorphism: two highly ordered tilted phases CrG* and SmI*, as well as the ferroelectric smectic C (SmC*) and chiral nematic (N*) phase. In this series, the seldom observed transition between the chiral phases SmI*–SmC* is seen. All the compounds possess stable enantiotropic SmC* and N* phases. The existence of weak intermolecular hydrogen-bonding in (S)-MHOBSn was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy.