Elastic constants of discotic (nematic) liquid crystals: effect of packing

Using a previously developed theory of nematic liquid crystals (Singh, Y., and Singh, K., 1986, Phys. Rev. A , 33, 3481) we present the calculation of elastic constants of discoticnematic liquid crystals and study the variation of elastic constants with packing fraction. The expressions for elastic moduli associated with 'splay', 'twist' and 'bend' modes of deformations are written in terms of order parameters characterizing the nature and amount of ordering in the phase and structural parameters. Numerical calculations are done for a model system, the molecules of which are hard oblate ellipsoids of revolution. It is observed that elastic constants are very sensitive to packing density and become larger with increase of shape anisotropy.     

Hexagonal columnar mesophases of polycatenar para-phenylene connected bis-oxadiazole-based liquid crystals

In this article polycatenar liquid crystals containing two 1,3,4-oxadiazoles interconnected by a para-substituted benzene ring as the central linking unit and three alkoxy chains at each terminal have been synthesised, and investigated by polarising microscopy, DSC and XRD scattering. Molecules with medium chain length form exclusively hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline phases.     

Short chain copper(II) n-alkanoate liquid crystals

Four short chain members of the copper(II) n-alkanoate series Cu(Cn)₂, from propanoate to hexanoate, have been synthesized, purified and characterized by means of optical microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The TGA study shows that decomposition starts on heating above 420-470 K (depending on the sample) in a nitrogen atmosphere. In addition, thermal decomposition was investigated by DSC using special high pressure pans and endo- and exc-thermic processes were found which have not been reported previously. All but one of the compounds melt to a liquid crystal phase, which decomposes before the clearing point. The exception is the propanoate homologue, which decomposes directly from the solid state. Despite this problem of sample decomposition, the identification by optical microscopy of the tetragonal (butanoate) and hexagonal (pentanoate and hexanoate) discotic columnar phases was, for first time, possible by the addition of small amounts of the corresponding acid to the samples. These results are in agreement with the X-ray diffraction study performed using swelled mixtures of these salts with hydrocarbon solvents. Two solid-solid transitions, not previously reported in the literature, were found for the butanoate homologue at 395.9 and 422.9 K with ΔH=8.27 and 1.37 kJ mol^-1, respectively. The solid and liquid crystalline phases were investigated using variable temperature FTIR spectroscopy.     

Quasi-binary picture of thermotropic liquid crystals and its application to cubic mesophases

A quasi-binary (QB) picture of thermotropic liquid crystals is proposed on the basis of thermodynamic observations. The experimental conformational entropy of long alkyl chains attached to a (semi)rigid core of mesogenic molecules indicates that the chain is highly disordered in liquid crystalline states. These disordered chains serve as ‘intramolecular solvent’ or ‘self-solvent’ judging from a close resemblance between phase diagrams of neat (against chain length) and binary (against composition) systems. The application of the QB picture to the classic examples of thermotropic cubic mesophases (in ANBC series) shows that the essential structural motif is triply periodic minimal surface.     

Bis(salicylaldiminate) copper(II) and palladium(II) complexes: towards columnar mesophases

Copper and palladium complexes of new salicylaldimines derived from 3,4,5-tridecyloxyaniline, 2,3,4-tridecyloxyaniline and 4-decyloxyaniline have been synthesized and characterized. All the ligands bear four or more aliphatic chains with the aim of inducing columnar mesophases at low temperatures. In particular, metal complexes derived from 4-(3,4,5-tridecyloxybenzoyloxy)-salicyliden-3,4,5-tridecyloxyaninile display rectangular columnar mesophases at (or near) room temperature. These mesophase assignments have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. A significant decrease of the melting points of the compounds is observed in the tridecyloxyaniline derivatives compared with those of similar complexes derived from mono- or di-decyloxyaniline.     

A molecular study of tetrakis(p‐methoxyphenyl)porphyrin and its Zn(II) complex as discotic liquid crystals

A theoretical study has been carried out on two methoxyphenyl derivatives (tetrakis‐(p‐methoxyphenyl)‐ porphyrin and the Zn‐containing complex), which are the reduced size representation of the alkyl peripheral substituent systems. The aim is to study the electronic interactions on these aromatic cores which is one of the most important properties in discotic liquid crystals. Their face‐to‐face dimeric conformation systems were studied in order to evaluate charge transport properties, by assessing the intermolecular charge transfer integrals “t” in the context of the Marcus electron transfer theory. The intermolecular transfer integral has been calculated from the matrix elements of the Kohn–Sham Hamiltonian including dispersion correction for noncovalent interacting systems. The results indicate that the effect of the Zn center in these porphyrins is nearly negligible and both studied systems can act as electron carriers, which are also seen in the bonding interaction of the LUMO orbitals. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Hula-twist within the confinement of molecular crystals

E/Z-photoisomerizations within molecular crystals are varied. Existing cases are summarized. They require crystal lattices that allow for long-range molecular movements in the nontopotactic solid-state mechanism. Reactivity and directionality can be foreseen on the basis of the crystal packing. The reacting crystal changes continuously by phase rebuilding, phase transformation and disintegration. Two possibilities for the chemical mechanism exist: (1) highly space-demanding (cooperative) double-bond rotations; and (2) space-conserving hula-twist (HT) motions while the substituents move within their planes and only one C-H unit undergoes out-of-plane translocation. If internal rotation cannot be reasonably modeled within the crystal lattice, HT remains the only choice, as in the case of trans-1,2-dibenzoylethene. Direct experimental proof is still lacking because the differences in the conformational outcome could not be assessed in the studied examples. Density functional theory calculations of cis-1,2-dibenzoylethene revealed very low differences in energy content of the helical (s-cis, s-cis)- and the almost orthogonal (s-cis, s-trans)-cis-conformers. The almost orthogonal (s-cis, s-trans)-cis-conformer that is found in the pure crystal is very similar to the calculated counterpart. It is suggested that more favorable initial conformers might be obtained by proper vinylic substitution. The stereochemical outcome of highly space-demanding thermal vinylic-bond rotations followed by cyclizations of conjugated bisallenes to give bismethylene cyclobutenes excludes the alternative HT mechanism (double-bond isomerization) in the present cases. But space-conserving HT might be a mechanistic alternative in less-substituted cases under photoexcitation. The stereochemical consequences are discussed.     

Bis(salicylaldiminate) copper(II) and palladium(II) complexes: towards columnar mesophases

Copper and palladium complexes of new salicylaldimines derived from 3,4,5-tridecyloxyaniline, 2,3,4-tridecyloxyaniline and 4-decyloxyaniline have been synthesized and characterized. All the ligands bear four or more aliphatic chains with the aim of inducing columnar mesophases at low temperatures. In particular, metal complexes derived from 4-(3,4,5-tridecyloxybenzoyloxy)-salicyliden-3,4,5-tridecyloxyaninile display rectangular columnar mesophases at (or near) room temperature. These mesophase assignments have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. A significant decrease of the melting points of the compounds is observed in the tridecyloxyaniline derivatives compared with those of similar complexes derived from mono- or di-decyloxyaniline.     

Collective and molecular dynamics in low molar mass and polymeric ferroelectric liquid crystals

By use of a novel sample preparation technique, it is possible to measure with one sample cell the collective and molecular dynamics (10^-1 Hz-10⁹ Hz) of macroscopically (in bookshelf geometry) oriented ferroelectric liquid crystals. Below 10⁶ Hz, two ferroelectric modes, Goldstone- and soft-mode, are observed, being assigned to fluctuations of the phase and amplitude of the helical superstructure respectively. Between 10⁶ and 10⁹ Hz, one dielectric loss process exists, the β-relaxation which originates from the librational motion (hindered rotation) of the mesogen around its molecular long axis. This process does not split or broaden at the non-ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition and it has an Arrhenius type temperature dependence. In comparing a racemic mixture with a chiral sample, it performs a similar frequency and temperature dependence. The experimental findings for the β-relaxation are in qualitative contrast to the predictions of the (generalized) Landau expansion of the free energy at the non-ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. The experiment also leads to a modified understanding for the molecular origin of ferroelectricity in FLCs.     

On the symmetry of iron(III) tris-acetylacetonate crystals

The crystal structure of iron tris-acetylacetonate is re-determined. Crystal data at 293 K are: a = 15.4524(5) Å, b = 13.5876(4) Å, c = 16.5729(7) Å, Z = 8; at 150 K: a = 15.2541(4) Å, b = 13.4451(3) Å, c = 16.4256(5) Å, Z = 8. The structure is molecular and comprises isolated molecules. The coordination polyhderon of iron is an almost regular octahedron, Fe-O bond lengths are 1.977–2.003 Å (293 K) and 1.982–2.006 Å (150 K). In the crystalline state, the molecules are arranged in layers, and iron atoms are located on a plane yielding an almost regular trigonal net with the Fe...Fe separations of 7.558–8.103 Å (293 K) and 7.472–8.017 Å (150 K). The adjacent layer is positioned exactly over the first one with a Fe...Fe distance of 8.303 Å (293 K) and 8.236 Å (150 K).     

Formation of mesophases by fluorinated enaminoketone Ni(II), Cu(II) and VO(II) complexes

Mesogenic tetradentate cis-enaminoketone Ni(II), Cu(II) and VO(II) complexes with rod-like and disc-like molecular shapes were synthesized. In these compounds some of the alkyl chains were perfluorinated. Replacing the alkyl chains by fluorinated chains stabilizes the columnar hexagonal Col_h phase whereas lamellar phases are destroyed.     

Force constants in molecular crystals of methyl-and perdeuteriomethylmercury(II) halides

Force constants for the internal vibrations involving the metal and for the lattice vibrations of Hg(CH₃)X and Hg(CD₃)X (X = Cl, Br or I) are calculated on the basis of a D_4h⁷ layer structure. The internal HgX stretching force constants are much lower than for these molecules in solution, but HgC stretching force constants are slightly higher. The HgX and longitudinal translatory force constants within the lattice layer are close in value to the strong and weak HgX bond stretching force constants respectively in the unsymmetrical [Hg(CH₃)X₂]^? complex ions.     

Spectroscopic investigation of local molecular dynamics in liquid crystals II. Polymers

In the analysis of spectroscopic data from liquid crystals consisting of either small molecules or polymer chains, it is essential that account be taken of some particular features due to the oriented nature of the phases investigated. For liquid crystal polymers some specific additional problems arise, such as the difficulties in orienting main-chain liquid crystal polymers, the occurrence of the glass-liquid transition and secondary transitions. These questions are first discussed, then the studies performed using ²H and ¹³C N.M.R., E.S.R. and dielectric relaxation on both side-chain and main-chain liquid crystal polymers are presented.     

Phase separation kinetics in mixtures of flexible polymers and low molecular weight liquid crystals

A dynamic Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is performed to investigate the phase behavior of mixtures of flexible polymers and low molecular weight thermotropic liquid crystals (LCs). The polymer is represented by three‐dimensional self‐avoiding lattice chains, while the LC is described by the Lebwohl‐Lasher nematogen model. The initially homogeneous rod‐coil mixture is, following a deep quench, separated into an isotropic phase rich in coils and a nematic phase rich in rods. The underlying spinodal decomposition (SD) process is then simulated and studied extensively. This is the first simulation of SD in a rod‐coil mixture where the nematic ordering is included. Concentration fluctuations with a conserved order parameter are thus coupled with orientation fluctuations with a nonconserved order parameter. It is found that the early stage SD in the rod‐coil mixture still exhibits the dominant spatial wavelength and that the scalar scattering functions in the late stage of SD obey the Furukawa scaling law. The kinetic difference between the so‐called isotropic and anisotropic SD regions is, however, much less pronounced than predicted recently by the mean‐field theory.     

Calculation of molecular crystals within the PCILOCC framework

Stabilization energies and equilibrium distances of one-dimensional (HF)_n and (H₂O)_n chains have been calculated by means of the PCILO method for finite chain length and by the PCILOCC method for infinite chain length. Both types of calculation are compared with corresponding CNDO /2-MO and CNDO /2-CO calculations. Further we have performed an analysis of the individual contributions of the stabilization energies per monomer of the PCILO and PCILOCC calculations. The results show that the PCILOCC method is well suited for the calculation of molecular associations with translational symmetry.     

Modular construction for the programmed assembly of molecular crystals and liquid crystals

This research aims to develop schemes for the programmed assembly of molecular materials. The underlying premise guiding this work is that structural information stored in the molecular constituents dictates their condensed phase organization (i.e. through the sum of all non-covalent interactions). The challenge then is to design molecular building blocks that encode this information in a decipherable manner. Our approach has relied on the use of organic nanoarchitectures, which we believe will serve as “modular units” for programmed assembly. Large molecules of well defined constitution and geometry offer the advantage that a high level of information can be incorporated into a single unit. The design and synthesis of nanoscale macrocyclics and macrobicyclics for this purpose has been achieved. Studies on the solution aggregation of the macrocyclics have provided a unique opportunity to glimpse some of the interactions which may influence solid state ordering. These building blocks are being used for the rational design of novel materials such as porous organic crystals and tubular mesophases.     

Columnar mesomorphism of bi- and trinuclear Ni(II), Cu(II), and VO(II) cis-enamonoketone complexes with low symmetry

New enaminoketone tetradentate bi- and trinuclear complexes creating columnar mesophases are reported. Various combinations of nickel, copper, or vanadyl ions were applied as metallic centers. Because of the bowlike structure of chelating centers and the low molecular symmetry (Cs) the bivanadyl complexes form two diastereoisomers, which were separated. The superexchange coupling of the electron spins of paramagnetic centers copper-copper and vanadyl-vanadyl was found for binuclear complexes in ESR studies.     

Insight into molecular packing effects on transesterification catalysis of zinc(II) coordination polymers

Transition Metal Chemistry - Self-assembly of ZnX2 (X??=?ClO4? and CF3SO3?) with naphthalene-2,6-diyl-diisonicotinate (L) gives rise to the 2D sheet structures with...     

Kinetics of spinodal decomposition in mixtures of low molecular weight liquid crystals and flexible polymers

In this paper, the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model for mixtures containing nematogens has been applied to mixtures of low molecular weight liquid crystals and flexible polymers. Dynamic equations for the time evolution of concentration and orientation fluctuations and the structure factors for these fluctuations are given. It is shown that the coupling between concentration and orientation fluctuations is absent in the isotropic spinodal region, thus the evolution of the structure factors for the concentration fluctuations falls into the Cahn-Hilliard classic category and it exhibits no maximum in the structure factors of orientation fluctuations. We should emphasize that, in the anisotropic spinodal region, both concentration and orientation structure factors possess a maximum but not coincide with each other and both are shifting to smaller wave numbers according to the scaling relation, q_max ˜ τ^−α, as time increases. The value of a closely correlates to the interfacial free-energy parameters.