Influence of chirality on the mesophase of side chain polymers with phenyl benzoate pendant groups

To reveal the structure of an amorphous mesophase with a hidden liquid crystalline structure (ISm*) in a chiral side chain polymer, P8*M, its racemic isomer has been synthesized along with two more RS‐copolymers with controlled enantiomer excess. The phase behaviour of the copolymers was studied comparatively by DSC and X‐ray scattering. Optical rotatory dichroism was measured for thin films of P8*M and two homologue polymers, differing in the polymeric main chain, by the size of the chiral terminal group and by its absolute configuration. A helical superstructure with pitch of about 250?nm is indicated within the ISm* mesophase. Its structure as a short pitch TGB phase hase been proven conclusively.     

Novel chiral dimesogenic bidentate ligands and their Cu(II) and Pd(II) metal complexes

The synthesis and characterization of cholesterol-based dimesogenic bidentate ligands and their Cu(II) and Pd(II) metallomesogens are reported in detail. To understand structure-property relationships in these materials the terminal alkoxy chains and the central metal atom have been varied. Our studies reveal that chiral dimesogenic bidentate ligands with n -butyloxy chains exhibit smectic A (SmA), twist grain boundary and chiral nematic (N * ) mesophases while substitution with either n -decyloxy or 3,7-dimethyloctyloxy chains also show a ferroelectrically switchable chiral smectic C (SmC * ) mesophase. The metal complexes with n -butyloxy chains show only the SmA phase whereas higher chain length derivatives exhibit N * phase irrespective of the metal atom present. The ligands are thermally stable whereas their metal complexes, especially Pd(II) systems, seem to be heat sensitive. Spontaneous polarization, response time and tilt angle measurements have been carried out in the smectic C * phase of the two ligands.     

Effect of lactate group in the chiral chain of new compounds exhibiting short-pitch cholesteric or TGBA phase

We have synthesised and studied lactic acid derivatives based on chlorine substituted molecular core, which is created from two biphenyls linked by an ester, and terminated with one or two lactic units in a chiral chain. The compounds with one lactate group exhibit cholesteric phase with rather short helix pitch (200 nm) in a broad temperature range. On contrary, compound with two lactate units reveals a stable TGBA phase, with transition temperatures substantially lower than those for one-lactate derivatives. We have studied mesophase behaviour and electro-optical properties, mostly based on the texture observation in polarising microscope. Additionally, we have used AFM and x-ray techniques to confirm mesophase identification and establish structural properties.     

Antiferroelectric and ferrielectric liquid crystalline low molar mass materials and polymers

Novel liquid crystalline Low Molecular Mass (LMM) materials bearing two chiral lactate groups, as well as compounds of like structure to MHPOBC have been synthesized. All the LMM compounds exhibit the SmC*A (antiferroelectric) and/or SmC*gamma (ferrielectric) phases. The mesogens have been incorporated as pendant groups on polymer backbones of three different natures to prepare side chain liquid crystalline copolysiloxanes, homopolysiloxanes and homopolyacrylates. The investigation of the polymers by means of miscibility studies showed that the antiferro- and ferri-electric phases are strongly destabilized in the coposiloxanes and homopolysiloxanes, while in the homopolyacrylates a large temperature range mesophase is found to be miscible with the SmC*A phase. The physical properties of the mesophases and their stability, both for the LMM materials and the polymers, are presented and discussed.     

New series of chiral ferroelectric liquid crystals with the keto group attached to the molecule core

Two new series of ferroelectric liquid crystals with a keto group attached to the molecular core and a lactate unit as a chiral centre were synthesized and studied. All the compounds exhibit the paraelectric SmA phase and the ferroelectric SmC * phase over very wide temperature ranges and down to room temperature. The main characteristics of the chiral ferroelectric SmC * phase, namely spontaneous polarization, spontaneous tilt angle, and dielectric constant, have been measured to establish their relationship to the length of the terminal chains. The influence of the chiral and non-chiral chain lengths on the helix pitch length is also discussed.     

New series of chiral ferroelectric liquid crystals with the keto group attached to the molecule core

Two new series of ferroelectric liquid crystals with a keto group attached to the molecular core and a lactate unit as a chiral centre were synthesized and studied. All the compounds exhibit the paraelectric SmA phase and the ferroelectric SmC* phase over very wide temperature ranges and down to room temperature. The main characteristics of the chiral ferroelectric SmC* phase, namely spontaneous polarization, spontaneous tilt angle, and dielectric constant, have been measured to establish their relationship to the length of the terminal chains. The influence of the chiral and non-chiral chain lengths on the helix pitch length is also discussed.     

The helical structure of highly ordered smectic phases

Optical studies of smectic phases have been performed in homogeneously oriented samples of chiral 4-(2'-methylbutyl) phenyl-4'-n-octylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate (CE8). The helix structure has been found in smectic phases C, I and J, but not in the smectic G phase. Two chiral phases have been found between S_I* and S_G phases. Up to now one of them has not been observed. The pitch of the helix has been measured in all of the twisted smectic phases, including the S_J* phase. The existence of the helix in this phase suggests that the correlations between smectic layers are not very strong.     

Liquid-crystalline side chain polymers containing a chiral spacer unit exhibiting chiral smectic phases

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of two liquid-crystalline side chain polymers with a chiral centre in the α or β position of the α-hydroxy acid representing the spacer unit are described. The chiral α branching leads to a dramatic decrease in the transition temperatures and a strong narrowing of the smectic mesophase (compared with the unbranched model compound I). The chiral β branching results in a chiral smectic phase, a pronounced contraction of the S_c phase, and the loss of the higher ordered S_f phase. The S*_c phase was confirmed by X-ray investigations of oriented samples. Depending on the polymerization conditions samples were obtained which were oriented in melt drawn fibres either with their smectic layers or their mesogenic units in the direction of stress.     

含薄荷基的手性液晶单体的合成、结构与性能研究

合成了五种新型含薄荷基的手性单体(M1～M5), 它们的结构、纯度及旋光性质通过了1H NMR, FT-IR、元素分析仪及旋光仪等手段的表征, 采用DSC, POM, UV/Vis/NIR等研究了单体的介晶性能、相行为及选择反射性能. 结果表明: 单体的比旋光度值随苯环数目的增加而降低, 通过在薄荷基与液晶核之间引入柔性间隔基元, 实现了含薄荷基单体具有液晶性能的目的. 除M1外, 其余四种单体均呈现手性近晶C (SC*)相和胆甾(Ch)相, 此外M5还出现了蓝相织构. M2～M4只在SC*相区能观察到选择反射现象, 而M5在SC*相区和Ch相区均出现明显的选择反射现象, 且随温度的升高, SC*相区的反射波长发生“红移”, 而Ch相区的反射波长则发生“蓝移”. 随着液晶核刚性的增加, 对应单体的熔点和清亮点增大, 液晶相范围变宽. 液晶核中的酯基桥键与组合方式也对单体的熔点和清亮点具有一定的影响.     

Novel chiral dimesogenic bidentate ligands and their Cu(II) and Pd(II) metal complexes

The synthesis and characterization of cholesterol-based dimesogenic bidentate ligands and their Cu(II) and Pd(II) metallomesogens are reported in detail. To understand structure-property relationships in these materials the terminal alkoxy chains and the central metal atom have been varied. Our studies reveal that chiral dimesogenic bidentate ligands with n-butyloxy chains exhibit smectic A (SmA), twist grain boundary and chiral nematic (N*) mesophases while substitution with either n -decyloxy or 3,7-dimethyloctyloxy chains also show a ferroelectrically switchable chiral smectic C (SmC*) mesophase. The metal complexes with n-butyloxy chains show only the SmA phase whereas higher chain length derivatives exhibit N* phase irrespective of the metal atom present. The ligands are thermally stable whereas their metal complexes, especially Pd(II) systems, seem to be heat sensitive. Spontaneous polarization, response time and tilt angle measurements have been carried out in the smectic C* phase of the two ligands.     

Study on selective reflection properties of chiral nematic liquid crystalline composites with a non‐uniform pitch distribution

The preparation is reported of particles of photopolymerisable monomer/chiral dopant composites with a crystalline (Cr)‐chiral nematic (N*) phase transition. By mixing particles with different pitches of the N* phase in the Cr phase and crosslinking the liquid crystal (LC) monomer molecules by photopolymerisation in the planarly oriented N* phase, an N*‐LC composite film with a non‐uniform pitch distribution was obtained. Experimental results show that the bandwidth of the reflection spectrum and the location of reflection band of the composite films can be controlled accurately by controlling the pitch lengths of the N* phase of the particles. Effects of polymerisation temperature and UV intensity on the non‐uniform pitch distribution of N*‐LC composite films were investigated.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of new chiral banana-shaped liquid crystals with chiral 3-(alkoxy)propoxy terminal groups

New chiral banana-shaped liquid crystals with chiral 3-(alkoxy)propoxy terminal groups (Pn-O-PIMB5*-4O, n = 7, 8, 9 and 10) were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties and phase structures investigated by means of electro-optic measurements, polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and second harmonic generation measurements. Most of these chiral bent-core mesogens (n = 7-9) showed the antiferroelectric B2 phase, whereas P10-O-PIMB5*-4O exhibited the B7 phase. Comparing with the previously reported homologue Pn-O-PIMB(n-2)*, we conclude that the terminal chain structure, particularly the position of chiral centres, plays an important role in the emergence of particular phase structures.     

Copolyesters exhibiting a thermotropic cholesteric phase

Mesomorphic copolymers were synthesized by incorporating varying ratios of azelaic acid and (+)-3-methyl adipic acid into copolyesters based upon 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl. Introduction of the phenylene (+)-3-methyl adipate unit broadens the temperature range of the nematic phase of the azelate homopolymer and, at the same time, produces a chiral nematic (cholesteric) mesophase which exhibits various iridescent colors. Circular dichroism measurements were used to determine the pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystals. The pitch decreased gradually with increasing temperature, and the inverse pitch increased in direct proportion to the molar content of the units containing (+)-3-methyl adipate. The twisted cholesteric structure could be conserved by quenching to produce films with various colors at room temperature. Annealing these films at a temperature immediately below that of the crystal–mesophase transition improved the regularity of the cholesteric structure.     

Helical growth of semiconducting columnar dye assemblies based on chiral perylene bisimides

A perylene bisimide derivative bearing two phenyl substituents with chiral solubilizing alkyl chains at the imide N atoms has been synthesized, and its self-assembly properties in solution and condensed phase have been investigated. Temperature-dependent CD spectra revealed the coexistence of two different kinds of chiral aggregates, differing in size and handedness. The chiral side chains effect a higher order within the self-assemblies, resulting in an increased charge-carrier mobility in the columnar liquid crystalline mesophase. [structure: see text]     

Novel liquid crystals based on [1]benzothieno[3,2- b ][1]benzothiophene

Four series of new [1]benzothieno[3,2- b ][1]benzothiophene derivatives have been synthesized. In the non-chiral series a SmA phase occurs, while the chiral series exhibits a rather wide antiferroelectric SmC * A phase just below the SmA phase. The SmA-SmC * A phase transition has been studied using DSC and dielectric spectroscopy. In the SmC * A phase the spontaneous quantities have been measured. The tilt angle shows a typical temperature dependence and the values of spontaneous polarization are rather moderate. The length of the helical pitch increases on increasing the length of the non-chiral alkyl chain.     

Cubatic liquid-crystalline behavior in a system of hard cuboids

The lyotropic phase behavior of cuboidal particles was investigated via Monte Carlo simulations. Hard cubes were approximated by suitably shaped clusters of hard spheres. Changes in concentration and structure of the system were monitored as a function of osmotic pressure P* (imposed in an isobaric ensemble). As expected, an isotropic phase prevailed at low concentrations (low P*) and a crystalline phase formed at high concentrations (high P*). A third distinct phase was also observed for an intermediate range of concentrations (approximately marked by breaks in the P* versus concentration curve). The structure of this mesophase was characterized both visually and analytically by calculating radial distribution functions and order parameters. It was found that such a mesophase exhibits orientational ordering along three axes (cubatic order) but significant translational disorder, thus having a structure clearly distinct from both isotropic and crystalline phases.     

Optical properties of chiral nematic side‐chain copolymers bearing cholesteryl and azobenzene building blocks

Thermotropic chiral nematic (N*) side‐chain copolymers (CPs) bearing cholesteryl and azobenzene units were synthesized to investigate the structure–property relationships of the acrylates of the chiral, achiral, and photochromic monomers of free radical polymerization‐derived polymers. The polar effect of chlorine substitution on the benzene ring of the chiral monomer (M3*) widened the mesophase transition temperature only at the monomer level, but no remarkable effect on the mesomorphic, optical or thermochromism of the corresponding CPs was observed. An examination of the CPs prepared using differential scanning calorimetry and hot‐stage polarizing microscopy showed that all the CPs exhibited a cholesteric nematic phase (N*), and increasing the content of the cholesteryl units in the CPs displayed only the N* phase over a much wider temperature range. On cooling from the isotropic melt of N* CPs, selective reflections of visible light that changed from short to long wavelengths were observed. The photolysis of CPs revealed that CP1 – CP4 undergo reversible photoisomerization and that CP5 and CP6 undergo irreversible photoisomerization. The rate of isomerization depends on the type (? N?N? , ? CH?CH? , and both) and content of photochromic units in the CPs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

New low molar mass organosiloxanes with unusual ferroelectric properties

A new low molar mass chiral organosiloxane mesogen and its racemic analogue have been synthesized and their mesomorphic and ferroelectric properties investigated. The chiral derivative, denoted A*B, exhibits one tilted enantiotropic ferroelectric smectic C mesophase over a broad temperature range, with very high tilt angles and moderate spontaneous polarization (36° and 19 nC cm^-2 at 20°C). The achiral siloxane derivative, denoted A*B, exhibits one broad enantiotropic smectic C phase. Preliminary electro-optic measurements indicate that the spontaneous polarization is weakly dependent on temperature between 10°C and 50°C, the latter being the S*_c to isotropic phase transition. The tilt angle and layer spacing are temperature independent, and current response times of less than 200 μs were measured at 25°C for fields of 10 V μ^-1. These results are discussed in comparison with those for side chain polymer liquid crystal structures and other low molar mass ferroelectric materials.     

The helical structure of highly ordered smectic phases

Optical studies of smectic phases have been performed in homogeneously oriented samples of chiral 4-(2′-methylbutyl) phenyl-4′-n-octylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate (CE8). The helix structure has been found in smectic phases C, I and J, but not in the smectic G phase. Two chiral phases have been found between S_I* and S_G phases. Up to now one of them has not been observed. The pitch of the helix has been measured in all of the twisted smectic phases, including the S_J* phase. The existence of the helix in this phase suggests that the correlations between smectic layers are not very strong.     

Dielectric, viscosity, and pitch measurements of a ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibiting the phase sequence smectic M-smectic C

A chiral liquid crystal compound exhibiting the ferroelectric smectic C phase and the recently discovered ferroelectric smectic M phase has been studied by measurements of the Goldstone-mode relaxation frequency and dielectric strength, the spontaneous polarization, the tilt angle and the helical pitch. The data allow the determination of the Goldstone-mode rotational viscosity and the pitch controlling elastic constant. The results indicate that the smectic M phase is characterized by a larger molecular order within the smectic layers compared to the smectic C phase confirming the assumption of a tilted hexatic structure for the smectic M phase.