Synthesis and characterization of new liquid crystalline materials containing a non-activated arylazoindolinobenzospiropyranyl group as a chiral unit. Part II

Two series of new liquid crystalline compounds containing a non-activated arylazoindolinobenzospiropyran, ABP-SPAB 1a-1e (series 1) and SPAP-ABPC 2a-2e (series 2), have been synthesized. These LC dyes were characterized by a differential scanning calorimetry polarizing optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical measurements. All but one of the series 1 compounds examined exhibit monotropic second and/or third transition liquid crystal phases on cooling from the isotropic liquid. In particular, ABP-SPAB 1b shows a monotropic SmC phase, in addition to a SmA phase. In series 2, most of the compounds exhibit a monotropic nematic phase on cooling. SPAP-ABPC 2c forms an enantiotropic nematic phase and a monotropic SmA phase; 2e shows enantiotropic nematic and SmA phases.     

Azo compounds and Schiff 's bases derived from 5-(4-pyridyl)-2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole: synthesis, mesomorphic properties and structural study by semi-empirical calculations

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of new Schiff 's bases (series 3a-f) and azo compounds (4a-f) incorporating pyridine and 1,3,4-thiadiazole rings are reported. The first homologues in the series of Schiff's bases (3a-c) show a monotropic mesophase and the homologues 3d-f display an enantiotropic SmA phase. The only azo compounds to exhibit liquid crystalline properties are the homologues 4e, f which show a monotropic nematic phase. These series are compared with Schiff's bases and azo compounds analogues (series 5 and 6), previously reported by us and an AM1 study of the structure/mesomorphic property relationship is described.     

New 1,2,4- and 1,3,4-oxadiazole materials: synthesis, and mesomorphic and luminescence properties

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of new series of 1,2,4- and 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives (2a-f and 5a-f respectively) are reported. These compounds contain only one terminal flexible alkoxy chain, the other terminal substituent is a protecting benzyl group. All compounds of series 2 exhibit an enantiotropic nematic phase. The homologue with the longest chain (2f) displays an enantiotropic dimorphism smectic A- nematic. None of the compounds of series 5 shows mesomorphism and only crystal-isotropic transitions were observed. The liquid crystalline properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray measurements. Luminescence properties, in chloroform solution, of 2f and the series 5 compounds were evaluated. Good photoluminescence quantum yields for compounds of series 5 were observed. Compound 2f, incorporating the 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring shows a very strong reduction in emissive properties.     

A new series of nematic and smectic liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy: the effect of terminal chain substitution on thermal and electro-optical properties

Two alkyl (1b and 1c) and four fluoroalkyl derivatives (1d-1f) of 4-arylbutyric acid (1c, 1d and 1e) and 4-arylbutanol (1b, 1f and 1g) [aryl = 2',3'-difluoro-4'-(2-(E-4-pentylcyclohexyl)ethyl)-biphenyl-1-yl] were prepared and investigated in the pure form as nematic materials (1b and 1c) and as additives to a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) host (1d-1f). A comparison of 1b and 1c with the decyl analogue 1a demonstrates the effect of terminal chain modification on thermal and electro-optical properties. The substitution of the -CH₂O- (1b) or -COO- (1c) for -CH₂CH₂- in 1a destabilized the N and SmA phases or completely eliminated the smectic behaviour (1c). Dielectric analysis revealed that the chain modification increased the negative Δε, reduced elastic constant K ₁₁ and moderately decreased rotational viscosity γ₁. The temperature dependence of the key electro-optical parameters was analysed for ester 2, the methyl analogue of 1c, which exhibits a 45 K wide N phase. All four fluoroalkyl derivatives 1d-1f showed enantiotropic SmA phases and 1e also exhibited a monotropic SmC phase. Solutions of 1d-1f in a FLC host (0.2 mmol g^-1) increased the tilt angle Θ (up to 45° for 1g), reduced rotational viscosity γ₁ and the risetime τ. The most dramatic changes were observed for 1g, which contains 15 fluorine atoms.     

Mesogenic cinnamates with a substituted ethyl terminal chain

Two new mesogenic homologous series of liquid crystalline cinnamates with substituted ethyl tails, β-methoxyethyl [4-(4'-n-alkoxycinnamoyloxy)benzoates (I) and β-chloroethyl [4-(4'-n-alkoxycinnamoyloxy)benzoates (II), have been synthesized and characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and standard spectroscopic methods. In series I, lower-chain members exhibit nematic mesophase, middle members exhibit enantiotropic nematic as well as smectic A (SmA) mesophases, whereas higher members exhibit only an enantiotropic SmA mesophase. In series II, methoxy to n-butyloxy derivatives exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. The SmA mesophase commences from n-propyloxy derivative as monotropic and persists up to the last member synthesized. The mesomorphic properties of present series were compared with each other and with a structurally related mesogenic homologous series to evaluate the effects of substituted ethyl tail and cinnamoyloxy central linkage on mesomorphism.     

Novel mesogenic asymmetric diacylhydrazines: synthesis, mesomorphic behaviour and X-ray study

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of a new series of diacylhydrazine derivatives (2a-g) are reported. All compounds of series 2 exhibit a smectic C (SmC) phase. The first homologues (2a, 2b) display a monotropic SmC mesophase, whereas the highest homologues (2c-g) exhibit an enantiotropic SmC phase. The liquid crystalline properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray measurements.     

Synthesis and study of azo dye compounds: variation of mesogenic behaviour with length of alkyl chains

The mesogenic behaviours of two azo dye liquid crystals, 1 and 4, differ because of the different length of terminal alkyl chains; azo dye 1 shows a SmB phase, azo dye 4 shows nematic and SmA phases during thermal processing. The molecular stackings of these two azo dye liquid crystals are compared on the basis of crystallographic studies to explain such unexpected mesogenic behaviour.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of new liquid crystalline compounds VIII. Indolinobenzospiropyranyl aryliminobenzoates

A series of new liquid crystalline compounds, indolinobenzospiropyranyl aryliminobenzoates, 1a-d, have been synthesized and their mesomorphic properties characterized. Analysis by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction showed that the benzoates 1a and 1d form a monotropic mesophase, whereas 1b and 1c show an enantiotropic mesophase. Enantiomorphic properties are uncommon to spiropyran-containing LC molecules. Among the compounds investigated, 1a was found to exhibit a monotropic SmC phase between 90 and 79°C.     

New smectic C mesogens containing the benzyl, phenylethyl or phenylpropyl moiety

A series of compoumds, benzyl 4-(4'-alkyloxybiphenyl-4-carbonyloxy)benzoates (1-10), and the two analogous compounds phenylethyl 4-(4'-octoxybiphenyl-4-carbonyloxy)benzoate (11) and phenylpropyl 4-(4'-octoxybiphenyl-4-carbonyloxy)benzoate (12), were prepared. The compounds 6-12 exhibit a SmC phase in addition to other smectic phases. Compound 11, exhibits a nematic phase.     

Mesogenic cinnamates with a substituted ethyl terminal chain*

Two new mesogenic homologous series of liquid crystalline cinnamates with substituted ethyl tails, β‐methoxyethyl [4‐(4′‐n‐alkoxycinnamoyloxy)benzoates (I) and β‐chloroethyl [4‐(4′‐n‐alkoxycinnamoyloxy)benzoates (II), have been synthesized and characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and standard spectroscopic methods. In series I, lower‐chain members exhibit nematic mesophase, middle members exhibit enantiotropic nematic as well as smectic A (SmA) mesophases, whereas higher members exhibit only an enantiotropic SmA mesophase. In series II, methoxy to n‐butyloxy derivatives exhibit a monotropic nematic mesophase. The SmA mesophase commences from n‐propyloxy derivative as monotropic and persists up to the last member synthesized. The mesomorphic properties of present series were compared with each other and with a structurally related mesogenic homologous series to evaluate the effects of substituted ethyl tail and cinnamoyloxy central linkage on mesomorphism.     

CPI induction of liquid crystal behaviour in triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains

2,3,6,7,10,11-Hexasubstituted triphenylenes have been synthesized that contain a mixture of hydrophobic (C₆H₁₃O) and hydrophilic (CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂O) side chains. At one extreme HAT6 (1a) (six hydrophobic chains) shows thermotropic behaviour and at the other TP6EO2M (1e) (six hydrophilic chains) shows lyotropic behaviour. Of the triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains, only the triphenylene with one hydrophilic side chain and five hydrophobic side chains (1b) gives a thermotropic columnar phase. None of the others show liquid crystal behaviour. However, all of these triphenylenes form binary 1:1 compounds when mixed with PDQ9 (2a) and with PTP9 (2b). These CPI (complimentary polytopic interaction) stabilized compounds give thermotropic hexagonal columnar phases over wide temperature ranges.     

Azo compounds and Schiff 's bases derived from 5-(4-pyridyl)-2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole: synthesis,mesomorphic properties and structural study by semi-empirical calculations

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of new Schiff 's bases (series 3a-f) and azo compounds (4a-f) incorporating pyridine and 1,3,4-thiadiazole rings are reported. The first homologues in the series of Schiff's bases (3a-c) show a monotropic mesophase and the homologues 3d-f display an enantiotropic SmA phase. The only azo compounds to exhibit liquid crystalline properties are the homologues 4e, f which show a monotropic nematic phase. These series are compared with Schiff's bases and azo compounds analogues (series 5 and 6), previously reported by us and an AM1 study of the structure/mesomorphic property relationship is described.     

Synthesis, mesomorphic properties and structural study by semi-empirical calculations of amides containing the 1,3,4-thiadiazole unit

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of a new series of amides (series 2a-f , 3a-d and 4a-d ) incorporating pyridine and 1,3,4-thiadiazole rings are reported. No homologues of the series 2 show mesomorphic properties. In the series 3 only the highest homologues ( 3d ) displays an enantiotropic SmA mesophase; the compound 3c exhibits a monotropic SmA mesophase, and the homologues 3a , b display no liquid crystal properties. The amides 4b-d display an enantiotropic SmA phases and the first homologue ( 4a ) exhibit only crystalisotropic transition. These series are compared with previously reported Schiff's bases and amide analogues. A structural study by AM1 semi-empirical calculation is also described.     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystals containing a non-activated 1' ,3' ,3'-trimethylspiro\[2H-1-benzopyran-2,2-indoline] group

Two series of mesogens derived from the non-activated spiropyran dyes 6-hydroxy-1 ,3 ,3- trimethylspiro\[2H -1-benzopyran-2,2-indoline] (series trimethylspiro\[2 H -1-benzopyran-2,2-indoline] (series 2 ) have been synthesized. Analysis by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed compounds in series 1 form monotropic nematic and SmA phases, while compounds in series 2 form only a monotropic nematic phase.     

Heterocyclic 1,3,4-oxadiazole as columnar core

The synthesis, characterization and mesomorphic properties of a new type of liquid crystalline compound, the 2,5-bis(3,4,5-trialkoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles, 3a-3h, are reported. These heterocyclic compounds are derived from unsaturated 1,3,4-oxadiazole as the core group, and obtained by the condensation reaction of 3,4,5-trialkoxybenzoic acid N-(3,4,5-trialkoxybenzoyl)-hydrazides and phosphorus oxychloride in toluene under reflux. All compounds were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The mesomorphic properties of these and the related compounds 1, 2 were characterized and studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. The formation of columnar mesophases was found to be dependent on the numbers of alkoxy sidechains. The compounds 3 exhibited hexagonal columnar (Col_h) phases, however compounds 1, 2 formed crystalline phases. Compounds 3b-3e with shorter carbon chains were room temperature liquid crystals. Polar induction by nitrogen and/or oxygen atoms on the heterocyclic core ring might be responsible for the formation and better observed mesomorphic properties in this type of compound.     

The synthesis and liquid crystalline behaviour of 2-(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)-5-methylpyridines

We have synthesized a new series of polyphenylene compounds with a pyridine ring, 2-(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)-5-methylpyridines (CH₃C₅H₃NC₆H₄OC_iH_2i1) (1a-i; the carbon number, i, of the alkoxy group is 1-9), and studied their phase transitions and mesogenicity using DSC and polarizing microscopy. In the homologous series of 1a-i, no mesomorphic phase appeared for i=1-5 and only a monotropic nematic phase was observed for i=6-9. The mesomorphic potential is relatively weaker for the 1a-i than for the 2a-i and 3a-i homologues, which are pyridine-containing three- and four-ring similar systems. This lowering of the mesogenicity may be due to the lack of a phenyl ring between the pyridine ring and the methyl group in the 1a-i homologues.     

Lyotropic phase behaviour of disc-shaped tetra-palladium organyls in apolar organic solvents [1]

The lyomesomorphic behaviour in apolar organic solvents of members of two series 1 and 2 of disc-shaped palladium organyls—the syntheses of four of them are new (1d, f and 2a, e) and are described here—each carrying twelve long lipophilic chains have been studied. Their lyomesomorphism appeared to be complex and has been observed here for the first time with metal organyls. As can be seen by polarizing microscopy, most of the binary mixtures investigated here exhibit nematic properties. For two members of series 1—the chloro-bridged 1b and its bromo-analogue 1c—there is even evidence for the existence of two different nematic lyomesophases side by side showing reversible transitions between them. In ternary systems, i.e. after the addition of 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone (TNF, a strong electron acceptor), the nematic phases are stabilized, suggesting that their mesophase structures are made up by columns with intercalated TNF molecules (charge transfer complex formation). Influences of structural features of the pallado-mesogens on the one hand and of the type of solvent on the other on the molecular self-aggregation in the observed types of lyotropic mesophase formed are discussed in detail.     

Calamitic liquid crystals of 1,2,3-triazole connected to azobenzene: synthesis,characterisation and anisotropic properties

Azobenzene-based calamitic liquid crystals, 4-((4-(4-methoxymethyl-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)phenyl)diazenyl)phenylalkanoates have been isolated and their structures were characterised. The structure–property correlation with respect to the different alkanoyloxy terminal chain (–COOC_nH_2n+1 where n adopts odd numbers ranging from 3 to 15) has also been given attention in the present study. In this series, all compounds exhibit smectogenic properties. The lower homologues shows enantiotropic SmA phase as well as monotropic SmC phase. The higher homologues exhibit homeotropic alignment of smectic phases. These compounds possess very high anisotropic inclination in which the mesomorphic region covers nearly 80°C.     

Liquid crystalline properties of 4-isopropyl- and 4-isopropoxy- N -(4- n -alkoxysalicylidene)anilines

New homologous series of 4-isopropyl- and 4-isopropoxy- N -(4- n -alkoxysalicylidene)anilines were synthesized. The phase transitions of these homologues were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. No enantiotropic liquid crystalline phases were observed for homologues having a terminal isopropyl group; as the terminal alkoxyl chain is lengthened, smectic C and nematic phases occur monotropically. The members with an isopropoxy substituent exhibit an enantiotropic nematic phase as the terminal alkoxyl chain is lengthened; the octyloxy member exhibits a monotropic smectic C phase as well as an enantiotropic nematic state.     

Synthesis,characterisation and liquid crystalline properties of some Schiff base and cinnamate central linkages involving 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazolone ring system and their Cu(II) complexes

Two new mesogenic homologous series, each containing 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazolone derivatives, 4-n-alkoxyphenyl and Schiff base–cinnamate central linkages, have been synthesised to give 4-[(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl) methyleneamino] phenyl 3-(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)acrylate [Series-A] and 4-[(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-p-tolyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methyleneamino] phenyl 3-(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)acrylate [Series-B] and their Cu(II) complexes have also been synthesised. These compounds were characterised by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), carbon-13 NMR (¹³C NMR) and ultraviolet (UV)-visible and mass spectral studies. Their mesomorphic behaviour was studied by polarising optical microscope (POM) with a heating stage. POM data were compared with differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. In Series-A and -B, all compounds exhibit mesomorphism. Series-A compounds exhibit an enantiotropic nematic mesophase except propyl derivative, while a smectic A (SmA) mesophase is observed from the heptyl derivative and persists up to the last member of the homologous series. n-Heptyloxy derivative is monotropic for SmA phase. Series-B compounds also exhibit the enantiotropic nematic mesophase, while the SmA mesophase is observed from the heptyl derivative and persists up to the last member of the homologous series. n-Dodecyloxy derivative exhibits monotropic SmA and nematic mesophases. The mesomorphic properties of both series are compared with each other and the other structurally related compounds. The study reveals that cinnamate linkage containing liquid crystals have higher thermal stability compared to structurally related series containing chalcone linkage. In case of complex series, only one compound from each series gives nematic mesophase.