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.     

Salicylaldimine-based symmetric dimers: synthesis and thermal behaviour

Several symmetrical dimers comprised of salicylaldimine-moieties connected through ester linkages to the termini of odd-parity alkanediols have been synthesized and investigated for their thermal behaviour. In order to understand the structure-property relations, the lengths of the central alkylene spacers (C₃ and C₅) as well as those of the terminal alkoxy chains (C₆ to C₂₂) have been varied. The dimers with a C₃-alkylene spacer are non-liquid crystalline, while some of the compounds having a C₅-alkylene spacer exhibit liquid crystalline properties. The dimer, with a C₅-alkylene spacer and C₆-alkoxy tails, shows an intercalated smectic C (SmC_c) phase, whereas the C₈, C₁₀, C₁₁, and C₁₂ homologues are non-mesomorphic. The higher homologues of this series with C₁₆, C₁₈, C₂₀ and C₂₂ alkoxy tails show a mesophase that has the signatures of a two-dimensional banana (B₁) phase. This mesophase is enantiotropic in the C₁₆ and C₁₈ homologues while it is monotropic in the other homologues. In these dimers, the spacer length has a remarkable influence on the thermal behaviour.     

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.     

Mesogenic Unsymmetric dimers containing cholesteryl ester and tolane moieties

Among unsymmetric oligomesogens, chiral dimers formed by connecting a cholesteryl ester fragment with various aromatic mesogenic cores through a polymethylene spacer have been attracting much attention due to their remarkable thermal behaviour. In particular, dimers containing a diphenylacetylene segment having an alkoxy chain have shown interesting mesomorphic behaviour. In view of this a new series of unsymmetric dimers consisting of a diphenylacetylene moiety having an alkyl chain and a cholesteryl ester unit joined through a paraffinic spacer have been synthesized and their liquid crystalline properties characterized. The lengths of the central methylene spacer (C₃, C₄, C₅ and C₇) as well as that of the alkyl chain (n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl and n-heptyl) have been varied to establish structure-property relationships. These investigations have revealed that all the dimers exhibit smectic A, twist grain boundary and chiral neamtic (N*) phases with the exception of one of the dimers for which only the N* phase was observed. Some differences in the mesomorphic properties of the unsymmetric dimers containing odd or even parity methylene spacers have been observed. The majority of dimers having an even (C₄) parity paraffinic spacer show a blue phase while the dimers with odd (C₃, C₅ and C₇) parity spacers exhibit the chiral smectic (SmC*) phase. In some cases, the SmC* phase exists well below (-60°C) and above room temperature.     

The effect of terminal chain modifications on the mesomorphic properties of 4,4'-disubstituted diphenyldiacetylenes

A variety of terminal chain modifications (Y) were made on the diacetylenes in which X=C_nH_2n+1, C₁₂H₂₅O and F, and Y=CH₂CH(Me)C₂H₅, COCH₃, C≡CC₅H₁₁, C_nF_2n+1C_nH_2n+1 and CH=CHCO₂C₃H₇. Mesomorphic properties were determined by hot stage polarizing microscopy and DSC. These were compared with those for the dialkyl analogues (X=C_mH_2m+1, Y=C_nH_2n+1) and a series of 1- and 2-olefins (Y=CH=CHC_nH_2n+1 and CH₂CH=CHC_nH_2n+1). The 1-olefin series showed wider range nematics than the dialkyl compounds, whereas the above modifications showed either narrow range nematic phases, no mesophase or higher melting temperatures. New transition temperature and enthalpy data are provided for some of the dialkyl and F-alkyl compounds previously reported, for comparisons. Preliminary birefringence data are also included along with the results of some heat and UV stability studies.     

Effect of molecular structure on the phase behaviour of some liquid crystalline compounds and their mixtures XII. Binary mixtures of homologues of unsymmetrical 1,4-phenylene bis (4-substituted benzoates)

Twentyfour liquid crystalline esters of the type 4-(n-C_nH_2n+1O)C₆H₄COOC₆H₄OOCC₆H₄-X-4 have been investigated for their phase behaviour. These compounds constitute six homologous series that differ from each other by the substituent X. The latter varies between CH₃O, CH₃, Cl, CN, NO₂, and n-C_nH_2n+1O, and the number (n) of carbons varies, within a homologous series, between 6, 8, 14, and 16. All possible binary mixtures made from any two homologues were prepared and characterized for their mesophase behaviour by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy.     

Synthesis and characterization of achiral banana-shaped liquid crystalline molecules containing bisnaphthyl moieties

Three analogous series of symmetric banana-shaped liquid crystalline molecules containing bisnaphthyl units were synthesized and characterized. The effects of linking groups (on the side wings) and lateral meta-fluoro substitutions (on the middle outer rings) on the mesogenic properties were examined. The type of mesophase depends on the lengths of terminal alkoxy chains. Thus, achiral molecules with shorter flexible chains (n = 8) exhibit a rectangular columnar (B₁) phase, while analogous derivatives with longer flexible chains (n = 12) display the B₂ phase. All lateral meta-fluoro substituted analogues (series II) possess the lowest isotropization temperatures and the narrowest mesophasic ranges of the B₁ and B₂ phases. The B₁ and B₂ phases were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and electro-optical (EO) switching experiments. An electric field-induced transition from an antiferroelectric (tristable) state to a ferroelectric (bistable) state was observed in the EO measurements. Spontaneous polarization (by switching current response), tilt angle of chiral domains (by POM), and transmittance-voltage measurements of the B₂ phase in related compounds have been surveyed in this study.     

Mesophase behaviour and thermal stability of octa-alkoxy substituted phthalocyaninatocobalt (II) complexes

Cobalt (II) phthalocyanines substituted with eight alkoxy chains in the peripheral (2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24) positions were prepared. The alkoxy chain length was varied between n-butyloxy (C₄H₉O) and n-octadecyloxy (C₁₈H₃₇O). Studies by polarizing optical microscopy and high temperature X-ray diffraction revealed that all the complexes are liquid crystalline and that they exhibit a hexagonal columnar mesophase (Col_h). Transition enthalpies were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The clearing point could only be observed for compounds with a chain length longer than C₁₃H₂₇O. Both the melting and clearing points decrease with increasing chain length. The transition temperatures of these discotic metallomesogens are higher than those of the corresponding metal-free phthalocyanines, but are comparable with those of the corresponding copper (II) compounds. The thermal decomposition of the compounds was studied by thermogravimetry.     

Etude du comportement thermique des n-alcanes dans des milieux hydrocarbones complexes par analyse calorimetrique differentielle. I. Etude du comportement thermique des n-alcanes en programmation lineaire de temperature

Middle distillates contain various amounts of n-alkanes which are responsible for low temperature properties. The thermal behavior of 14 alkanes ranging from n-C₁₂H₂₆ to C₂₅H₅₂ has been studied by means of a Mettler TA 2000 B heat flow DSC. Different hydrocarbon matrices such as gas oil (diesel) where n-alkanes have previously been removed, kerosene and gas oil containing a known distribution of n-alkanes have been used. A comparative study of the values of the enthalpy of dissolution obtained for each n-alkane in a gas oil with or without a distribution of n-alkanes has been carried out.     

Origins of the differences in solvation by alkanes and perfluoroalkanes Evidence from the S2-S0 spectra of jet-cooled van der Waals complexes of xanthione and azulene

The S₂-S₀ fluorescence excitation spectra ofxanthione (XT) and azulene (AZ) complexed with 1 or 2 molecules of the C₁ to C₁₀ n-alkanes and the C₁ to C₆ perfluoro-n-alkanes have been measured. The 1:1 complexes exhibit microscopic solvent shifts, Δ gn, which are larger for the alkanes than the corresponding perfluoroalkanes, despite the larger molecular polarizability of the latter. The values of Δ gn increase monotonically with carbon number of the adduct to C₁₀ in 1:1 n-alkane complexes with XT and to C₅ in 1:1 n-alkane complexes with AZ. However, Δ gn exhibits no further increase beyond C₂ in 1:1 perfluoro-n-alkane complexes with XT and beyond C₃ in 1:1 perfluoro-n-alkane complexes with AZ. The results are interpreted in terms of a model in which the n-alkanes stretch out along the long axis of the chromophore and ‘wet’ its surface whereas the perfluoro-n-alkanes with carbon numbers 3 away from the surface of the chromophore and are ‘non-wetting’.     

Phase behaviour of n-alkyl- and bi-alkylbenzenesulphonates. Nematic lyotropics from double chain surfactants

The lyotropic mesophases in binary systems of surfactants in water: n-alkylbenzenesulphonates (C₈-C₁₂), two chain C₁₂-surfactants, and dodecyl-benzenesulphonic acid, were investigated. The micellar properties were examined by conductometry and viscosimetry. The phase diagrams were determined using crossed polarizers, ²H NMR spectroscopy and polarization microscopy. Besides lamellar and inverse cubic phases, new nematic lyotropic phases have been found, presenting precursors for the lamellar phases, and exhibiting very fast alignment in a magnetic field.     

A Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron-resonance study of the reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cations with molecules of interstellar interest

The reactivity of naphthalene and pyrene radical cations and their derivatives (C₁₀H_n⁺, n=6,7,8,9), C₁₆H_n (n=9,10,11) has been studied with molecules of interstellar interest in an ion cyclotron resonance apparatus. The radical cations C₁₀H₈⁺ and C₁₆H₁₀⁺ are unreactive with H₂,CO,H₂O and NH₃. Adduct formation is the only channel for almost all reactions of C₁₀H₇⁺ with these molecules. The implications of these results for the stability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) cations in the interstellar medium are briefly discussed. Exploratory studies of the ion chemistry of a larger PAH, coronene, have also been done.     

Observation of difluorinated higher fullerene anions by Knudsen cell mass spectrometry and determination of electron affinities of C60F2 and C70F2

Difluorinated higher fullerenes have been studied by Knudsen cell mass spectrometry. Thermal negative ions C_nF₂⁻ (n=60, 70, 72, 74, 76 and 78) were produced inside the effusion cell as well as the neutral molecules C₆₀F₂ and C₇₀F₂. From the equilibrium constants for the electron exchange reactions between difluorinated fullerenes and their parents electron affinity values were derived for C₆₀F₂ (2.74 eV) and C₇₀F₂ (2.80 eV).     

The synthesis and lyotropic phase behaviour of some aquatetra(cyano)-dodecylaminoferrate(II) complexes

Some alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of the amphiphilic anion [Fe(CN)₄(H₂O)(C₁₂H₂₅NH₂)]^2- have been synthesized by reaction of [Fe(CN)₅NO]^3- with C₁₂H₂₅NH₂. Using optical microscopy, they have been shown to give a hexagonal (H₁) mesophase in water.     

Gemini表面活性剂/C12En混合体系的界面吸附、扩张粘弹与泡沫稳定性

用表面张力法研究了阳离子gemini表面活性剂乙基-1, 2-双(十二烷基二甲基溴化铵)(简写为12-2-12)和非离子表面活性剂十二烷基聚氧乙烯醚(C₁₂E_n,其中n = 4, 10, 23)混合体系在气液界面上的吸附行为;用扩张流变技术研究了吸附膜的扩张粘弹行为,实验数据用Lucassen-van den Tempel (LVT)模型进行拟合并根据模型得到了极限弹性值.最后研究了混合体系的泡沫行为,用泡沫塌陷到初始高度一半所对应的时间(t_1/2)来表征泡沫的稳定性.结果表明,所有的非离子表面活性剂C₁₂E_n均与12-2-12产生了吸引作用.在12-2-12浓度相同的情况下,混合吸附层中吸附分子的最小分子占据面积的顺序为12-2-12/C₁₂E₂₃ > 12-2-12/C₁₂E₁₀ > 12-2-12/C₁₂E₄,而极限弹性的顺序为ε_{0, fit}(12-2-12/C₁₂E₄) > ε_{0, fit}(12-2-12/C₁₂E₁₀) > ε_{0, fit}(12-2-12/C₁₂E₂₃).与单组分12-2-12形成的吸附膜相比,只有12-2-12/C₁₂E₄形成更加紧密的结构.具有较小亲水头基的非离子表面活性剂C₁₂E₄的加入,可增强12-2-12吸附膜的弹性,进而增强了对应体系泡沫的稳定性.     

Bent-core V-shaped mesogens consisting of salicylaldimine mesogenic segments: synthesis and characterization of mesomorphic behaviour

A series of bent-core V-shaped mesogens consisting of salicylaldimine mesogenic segments have been synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour characterized. In an attempt to understand structure-property relationships, the lengths of the terminal alkoxy chains have been varied from C₂ to C₁₂, C₁₆ and C₁₈, resulting in 13 new bent-core V-shaped molecules. The thermal behaviour of these new compounds has been investigated by optical microscopy, calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies. In general the compounds show conventional mesophases similar to those shown by calamitic LCs. The materials exhibit good thermal stability, even though their melting and clearing transition temperatures are high as a result of the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the H-atom of the hydroxyl group and the N-atom of the imine functionality. The phase appearing in the first member of the series with ethoxy chains is a nematic, while the C₃ to C₆ derivatives exhibit a smectic A phase as well as a nematic phase. The higher homologues, C₇ to C₁₂, C₁₆ and C₁₈, show only the smectic A phase. X-ray studies reveal that the SmA phase has a partially bilayer (interdigitated) structure. Remarkably, in some cases, the smectic A phase supercools well below room temperature. It is apparent from our studies that increasing the length of the alkoxy chains promotes smectic behaviour, in agreement with the general observation made for such bent-core molecules.     

Desorption kinetics of surfactants at fluid interfaces by novel coaxial capillary pendant drop experiments

Surfactants appear in multiphase fluid systems in which the interface and the adjacent bulk phase have been removed from equilibrium. Here, a new method is described for the measurement of rate constants of desorption of surface-active materials from fluid/fluid interfaces and the extent to which adsorption is reversible: the coaxial capillary pendant drop experimental technique.

Kinetic constants are determined by desorption experiments in pendant drops in which the interface adjacent to a surfactant solution is removed from equilibrium by replacing the subphase of the drop with pure water. Further, we demonstrate that although the rate of subphase exchange is comparatively slow with respect to the desorption timescale, it is possible to resolve desorption processes which occur under local equilibrium with the adjacent bulk phase from those that are determined in part by sorption kinetics. Experiments which measure the desorption kinetic coefficient, , using a homologous series of n-alkyl (C₈, C₁₀, C₁₂, C₁₄) dimethyl phosphine oxides are presented.     

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

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.     

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.     

DFT studies on coplanar poly-cage cubanes C8+4nH8 (n=1–5)

Coplanar poly-cage cubanes C_8+4nH₈ (n=1–5) have been studied using DFT method at B3LYP/D95** level of theory, vibrational frequencies of these molecules have been calculated at B3LYP/D95** level of theory and spectrums of these molecules have been simulated else, heats of formation of these molecules also have been estimated here.