The effect of intermolecular actions on the nematic phase range of tolane-liquid crystals

An approach to understand the effect of intermolecular actions on the nematic stability, a series of tolane compounds nH containing intermolecular π–π stacking, dipole–dipole and hydrogen bond interactions, are developed and investigated. Their mesophase behaviour were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarising optical microscopy (POM), the results show that carboxylic acids nH exhibit high melting points and narrow nematic phase intervals, which are attributed to the too strong intermolecular actions. By disrupting the intermolecular hydrogen bond, their corresponding methyl esters nC have been designed and synthesised. It is interesting to note that these compounds exhibit broad nematic mesophase intervals and low melting points. The above results demonstrate that the interruption of intermolecular actions is an effective way to improve the nematic stability. In addition, the effects of the terminal alkyl chains and the terminal polar groups on the nematic stability were also discussed. Finally, DFT calculations of molecular conformation and dipole moment were conducted to better understanding of the molecular structure–mesomorphic property relationship.     

Influence of mesogenic core polarity and position of chains attachment on columnar phase stability

Series of new Ni(II) metalomesogens of triangular molecular shape and forming Col_h liquid crystalline (LC) phase were synthesised and described. Using in the molecular core the barbituric moieties that contain carbonyl or thiocarbonyl groups causes strong polarisation of the molecules and creates a permanent dipole moment μ, which was confirmed by quantum mechanical calculations. The relationship between molecular dipole moment and self-organisation of molecules into the columnar phase was considered. The position of alkyl and alkoxy chains substituted at phenyl ring that affects LC phase formation seems to be connected with planar conformation of the attached chains. These can broaden the mesogenic core and stabilise the Col_h mesophase.     

The effect of terminal epoxy modification on the mesomorphic and thermal stability of biphenyl ester liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

A series of biphenyl ester compounds with alkenyl, alkyl, oxirane, and 1,3-dioxolane as the terminal groups have been synthesised for investigating the mesomorphic and thermal stability. Based on the same carbon skeleton, the allyl-terminated compound V1OLC has no mesophase, while the oxirane-terminated compound POLC not only has wider multiple smectic mesophase compared with the propyl-terminated compound 3OLC but also exhibits the best thermal stability. However, when the terminal groups change from oxirane to 1,3-dioxolane, EOLC shows neither mesophase nor the good thermal stability. In addition, with the extension of the terminal chains, the butyl-terminated compound 4OLC gives the widest smectic mesophase. These imply that the mesomorphic and thermal stability of these biphenyl ester compounds are dependent on the suitable terminal chain lengths and epoxy sizes. Meanwhile, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to assist in analysing the experimental results.     

A new family of four-ring bent-core nematic liquid crystals with a highly polar end-group

A new family of four-ring achiral bent-core compounds derived from 2-methyl 3-amino benzoic acid with the methyl group in the bent direction incorporated into the central core have been designed and synthesised. These compounds possess an alkoxy chain attached at only one end of the bent core molecule, while the other arm consists of a biphenyl moiety possessing a highly polar cyano-group. The molecular structure has been confirmed by elemental analysis and spectroscopic data, and the thermal behaviour and phase characterisation has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polarising microscopy. All the compounds exhibit a wide-range enantiotropic nematic phase. A comparison with non-mesomorphic unsubstituted and 4-methyl-substituted homologues is also presented.     

Effects of stationary-phase polarity on retention in reversed bonded phase HPLC columns

Summary Variations in retention and selectivity have been studied in cyano, phenyl and octyl reversed bonded phase HPLC columns. The retention of toluene, phenol, aniline and nitrobenzene in these columns has been measured using binary mixtures of water and methanol, acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran mobile phases in order to determine the relative contributions of proton donor-proton acceptor and dipole-dipole interactions in the retention process. Retention and selectivity in these columns was correlated with polar group selectivities of mobile phase organic modifiers and the polarity of the bonded stationary phases. In spite of the prominent role of bonded phase volume and residual silanols in the retention process, each column exhibited some unique selectivities when used with different organic modifiers.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and phase stability of Pb stabilized ZrO2 nanoparticles

The Pb doped metastable tetragonal ZrO₂ (t-ZrO₂:Pb) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method. Pb ion doping has great effects on the phases, crystallite sizes and optical band gaps. Systematic structural characterization revealed that the introduction of Pb ion results in lattice expansion. The as-prepared t-ZrO₂:Pb with ca 4–6 nm in size has high specific surface area (>150 m²/g) and narrow particle size distributions. The diffuse reflectance spectra investigated that the band gap shifts from ultraviolet (E_g = 5.19 eV) for pure ZrO₂ to the visible region for t-ZrO₂:Pb and the gap can be effectively adjusted with the content of Pb in nanocrystals. Through thermal treatment, Pb ion doped in ZrO₂ crystals was excluded with increasing temperature. At 800 °C, the three t-ZrO₂:Pb samples of ZPO-2, ZPO-3 and ZPO-4 still contained the pure tetragonal phase, in which Pb content were not reduced to zero, while the transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic phase occurred due to zero Pb content in ZPO-1. The reason to this transformation and stabilized mechanism of Pb ion in ZrO₂ were discussed.     

Schiff base/ester liquid crystals with different lateral substituents: mesophase behaviour and DFT calculations

Four new groups of 4-((2?-substitutedphenylimino)methyl)phenyl-4”-alkoxy benzoates, In_a-d, of Schiff base ester liquid crystals, were prepared and investigated for their mesophase formation and stability. Each group constitutes four homologous series that differ from each other by the lateral attached polar group X in the ortho position for the imine mesogen at terminal benzene ring that alternatively changed from F, Br, NO2 and lateral benzene ring. Within each homologous series, the number (n) of carbons in the alkoxy chain varies between 6, 8, 10 and 12. Molecular structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed via elemental analysis, FT-IR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the phase identified by polarised light microscopy (PLM). A comparative study was made between the investigated compounds and their previously prepared laterally neat, 4-((4?-phenylimino)methyl)phenyl-4”-alkoxy benzoates (IIn); the result revealed that all lateral substituents not only decrease the melting temperature but also the mesophase stability and shown only nematic phase. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for new lateral derivatives were discussed.     

The stability condition of phase equilibrium for various concentration variables

The stability conditions of phase equilibrium for various concentration variables are educed according to thermodynamic principle. When a system with k components arrives at stable equilibrium, if the mole number n_i or the mole fraction y_i(=n_i/n_k) or molality m_i[= n_i/(n_kM_k)] of component i(i = 1,2,...,k − 1) are elected as concentration variables, thermodynamic theory is able to confirm that the sign of every order determinant composed of the second-order partial differential of chemical potential with respect to these concentration variables is positive; if the mole fraction x_i(= n_i/n) or mass fraction w_i(= n_iM_i/W are elected as the concentration variables, thermodynamic theory is only able to confirm that the sign of (k−1) order determinant is positive; if molarity c_i(= n_i/V are elected as the concentration variables, thermodynamic theory is not able to confirm the sign of every order determinant.     

Lateral substituent effects on UV stability of high-birefringence liquid crystals with the diaryl-diacetylene core: DFT/TD-DFT study

To study the effect of the lateral substituents on the UV stability of high birefringence liquid crystals (LCs), computational chemistry was used to examine a series of high birefringence LCs based on a diphenyl-diacetylene (DPDA) central core, thiophene segments as elongated π-conjugated units and four electron-withdrawing groups (-F, -CF₃, -OCF₃, -CN) as lateral substituents. In the present study, geometry optimisations have been performed using the DFT/B3LYP/6-311G (d, p) method. Out of a series of functional and basis sets examined, the functional ωB97X-D and basis set 6-31G (d, p) are most successful in predicting charge transfer absorption. The theoretical study indicates that the enhancement of UV stability is related with the types, numbers and positions of the lateral substituents. The calculated results indicate that the electron-withdrawing groups can shorten triple bond length, decrease energy gap value and increase the absorption maxima of the high-Δn LCs, which is beneficial for good UV stability. With the introduction of increasing lateral electron-withdrawing substituent numbers, the DPDA derivatives would further improve UV stability. This work may provide an effective solution for the obstacle existed in the high-Δn LCs with DPDA structures and pave a way for their applications in LC photonics.     

The solvent effect on a styryl-bodipy derivative functioning as an AND molecular logic gate

We study via DFT and TDDFT calculations the photophysical processes of a styryl-bodipy derivative, ( 1 ), of its monometallic complexes 1-M ²⁺ (M = Ca, Zn, and Hg), and its trimetallic complex ( 2 ) unprotonated, protonated and complexed with water molecules in water solvent and in acidic conditions. The main targets of this study are to gain information regarding published reports on fluorophore species mentioning that fluorescent switching results from trace water, to study how 1 behaves in water solvent which is a common used solvent for molecular logic gates (MLG), and how it behaves in acidic conditions. We conclude that in water solvent, as in acetonitrile solvent (which was found before both theoretically and experimentally) there will be a quenching of emission spectra in 1 and 1-M ²⁺ and a retaining of emission in 2 . However, contrary to acetonitrile solvent, in water, a weak peak will be observed for 1 and 1-M ²⁺ , due to a small ratio of reversible protonation, showing that in acetonitrile 1 acts as a better MLG candidate than in water solvent. On the other hand, in acidic conditions all five species will emit and as a result, 1 will not be an AND MLG, showing that the selection of the solvent conditions is crucial for a species to act as an MLG candidate. Finally, we conclude that the retaining of emission is accomplished by the simultaneous tetrahedral geometry of all three aniline N atoms.     

Electronic effects of icosahedral carboranes: mechanistic alteration in solvolysis of α-(o-carboranyl)benzyl tosylates by electronic effect of substituents

Solvolysis of α-(o- and m-carboranyl)benzyl toluene-p-sulfonates bearing a range of substituents at the 3- or 4-position of the benzyl group has been investigated. The rates of hydrolysis of m-carboranyl derivatives increased linearly with increasing electron-releasing character of the substituent group (ρ=−5.37 correlated to σ⁺), which indicates that the hydrolysis proceeds through a typical S_N1 process. In contrast, the hydrolysis rates of the o-carboranyl derivatives with a wide range of electron-withdrawing substituents did not show significant change, but suddenly began to show a linear increase with increasing electron-releasing character of the substituents (ρ=−5.91 correlated to σ⁺). Moreover, the optical purity of the retentive hydrolysis of the o-carboranyl derivatives rapidly declined with increasing electron-donating effects of the substituents. This indicates that the mechanism of the hydrolysis changes from the retentive mechanism to an S_N1 mechanism.     

A kinetic stability study of MN (MBe,Mg, Ca,Sr, and Ba)

This work describes a structure and kinetic stability study of some complexes with the general formula MN, where M are the alkaline earth metal atoms, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba. A complex (A) with two points of attachment to the N₅ ring is the most energetically favored for all metals considered here. Except for Be, structure (B) containing a mono‐coordinated metal atom is a transition state corresponding to the metal atom transfer around the N₅ ring. Pyramidal structure (C) is kinetically unstable with the low isomerization barrier height, ranging from 0.9 to 6.7 kcal/mol. The dissociation barrier heights for the lowest energy isomers (A) are predicted to be 1.2–18.7 kcal/mol (Be to Ba), indicating that kinetic stability increases from lighter to heavier metal atoms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

Effect of viscosity on stationary phase stability in capillary column gas chromatography

With recent advances in column technology it is now possible to prepare highly efficient, very inert, and thermally stable capillary columns coated with nonpolar polysiloxane stationary phases. Unfortunately, the same degree of success has not been achieved for some of the more polar polysiloxane phases. A parameter that has been studied little in the past in relation to stationary phase film stability is the viscosity of the stationary phase. In this paper the efficiency and stability of coated columns are correlated to the viscosity of the phase. Due to their structure, the viscosity of the phenyl-containing polysiloxanes change rapidly with temperature and hence, thin-film coatings are not stable at elevated temperatures. By using high viscosity phenyl-containing methylphenylpolysiloxanes which were recently synthesized, efficient and stable columns have been prepared.     

Sugars in the gas phase: The conformational properties of erythrose, threose, and erythrulose characterized by quantum chemistry calculations

The structural properties of the three open chain C₄H₈O₄ sugars, i.e. two aldoses (erythrose and threose) and one ketose (erythrulose), have been investigated by DFT and ab initio calculations to get accurate structures and relative energies. The structure of all the conformers predicted within 10 kJ/mol has been optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of the theory. Two types of intramolecular hydrogen bonds have been clearly identified. They are related to the hydroxyl and to the carbonyl oxygen atoms and are of weak and middle strength, respectively. The most stable structures have been optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p) and at the MP2/6-311++G(2df,p) levels of the theory in order to calculate accurate rotational parameters and dipole moment for their future detection in the microwave range in the gas phase. Their corresponding harmonic IR spectra have also been calculated and their fingerprint signature is discussed in the region of the OH stretching vibrations, of the torsion of the C–O bonds and of the deformation of the C–C skeleton.     

Structure of the Ligated Ag60 Nanoparticle [{Cl@Ag12}@Ag48(dppm)12] (where dppm=bis(diphenylphosphino)methane)

A novel bisphosphine ligated Ag₆₀ nanocluster, [{Cl@Ag₁₂}@Ag₄₈(dppm)₁₂], has been dis-covered and characterized by X-ray crystallography. It consists of a central chloride located inside an icosahedral silver core layer, which is further encased by a second shell of 48 silver atoms/ions, which are capped with 12 bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) ligands. Due to lack of sufficient material the cluster could not be further characterized by other methods. DFT calculations were carried out on the cation [{Cl@Ag₁₂}@Ag₄₈(dppm)₁₂]⁺ to determine if it corresponds to a superatom with a core count of n=58. The DFT optimized structure is in agreement with X-ray ndings, but the low value of the HOMO-LUMO gap does not support superatom stability.     

The effect of surface polarity of glass on liquid crystal alignment

The effects of the surface polarity of a glass substrate on the orientation of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) were studied using the polarised optical microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. On the surface of oxygen plasma treated glass, a homeotropic alignment of LCs was induced for LCs with negative dielectric anisotropy. This suggests that vertical orientation of LCs could be induced on a polar glass substrate without using an LC alignment layer. Upon cooling towards the isotropic–nematic transition, E7 with positive dielectric anisotropy changes its LC arrangement to isotropic, homeotropic, planar orientations in order. The nematic LC anchoring transition of E7 was interpreted by considering the competition between van der Waals forces and dipole interactions that control the alignment of LC molecules on a polar glass surface.