Synthesis and characterization of novel chiral dimers exhibiting highly frustrated liquid crystal phases

Two novel series of optically active dimers comprising cholesterol and biphenyl-4-yl 4-(n-alkoxy)benzoate cores interlinked though either an odd-parity/even-parity spacer have been prepared and characterized. They stabilize an extremely complex, frustrated liquid crystalline state viz., the twist grain boundary (TGB) phase with chiral smectic C structure, denoted as TGBC^∗ phase, over a wide (50–110 °C) temperature range. Notably, the dimers with an odd-parity spacer show an additional frustrated liquid crystal phase namely, the blue phase (BP). The presence of such frustrated phases suggests that the synthesized dimers are characterized by high enantiomeric excess and strong molecular chirality. Thus, 12 new optically active, nonsymmetric dimers reported herein constitute new examples of rarely found strongly chiral, optically pure dimers showing frustrated liquid crystal phase over an adequately wide thermal range.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of chloramphenicol by 1-chlorobenzotriazole in acidic medium

Chloramphenicol (CAP) is an antibiotic drug having a wide spectrum of activity. The kinetics of oxidation of chloramphenicol by 1-chlorobenzotriazole (CBT) in HClO₄ medium over the temperature range 293–323 K has been investigated. The reaction exhibits first-order kinetics with respect to [CBT]_o and zero-order with respect to [CAP]_o. The fractional-order dependence of rate on [H⁺] suggests complex formation between CBT and H⁺. It fails to induce polymerization of acrylonitrile under the experimental conditions employed. Activation parameters are evaluated. The observed solvent isotope effect indicates the absence of hydride transfer during oxidation. Effects of dielectric constant and ionic strength of the medium on the reaction rate have been studied. Oxidation products are identified. A suitable reaction scheme is proposed and an appropriate rate law is deduced to account for the observed kinetic data.     

Kinetic, mechanistic and spectral investigation of ruthenium (III)-catalysed oxidation of atenolol by alkaline permanganate (stopped-flow technique)

Kinetics of ruthenium (III) catalyzed oxidation of atenolol by permanganate in alkaline medium at constant ionic strength of 0.30 mol dm³ has been studied spectrophotometrically using a rapid kinetic accessory. Reaction between permanganate and atenolol in alkaline medium exhibits 1 : 8 stoichiometry (atenolol : KMnO₄). The reaction shows first-order dependence on [permanganate] and [ruthenium (III)] and apparently less than unit order on both atenolol and alkali concentrations. Reaction rate decreases with increase in ionic strength and increases with decreasing dielectric constant of the medium. Initial addition of reaction products does not affect the rate significantly. A mechanism involving the formation of a complex between catalyst and substrate has been proposed. The active species of ruthenium (III) is understood as [Ru(H₂O)₅OH]₂₊. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of mechanism are calculated. Activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed and thermodynamic quantities are also calculated.     

Phase behaviour of thermotropic banana-shaped compounds under pressure

The phase behaviour of two achiral bent core banana-shaped compounds, the hexyloxy (compound I) and decyloxy (compound II) members of the 1,3-phenylene bis[N-(2-hydroxy-4-n-alkoxybenzylidene)-4'-aminobenzoate] series was investigated under hydrostatic pressures up to 300 MPa using high pressure differential thermal analysis and light transmission methods. The reversible transition sequence crystal (Cr₁)-B₁ phase-isotropic liquid (I), observed at room pressure for compound I, remains in the pressure region up to c 70 MPa. At higher pressures a pressure-induced crystalline phase (Cr_i) appears between the Cr₁ and B₁ phases, its temperature region becoming wider with increasing pressure. The temperature vs. pressure phase diagram shows a triple point of 72.9 MPa and 160.3°C for the Cr₁, Cr_i and B₁ phases, indicating the lower limit of pressure for the Cr_i phase. In compound II the reversible transition sequence crystal (Cr₁)-B₂ phase-I is seen over the whole pressure region, and the temperature range of the B₂ phase remains unaltered. It is concluded that both the B₁ and B₂ banana phases are stable over the whole pressure region studied.     

Twin-seeded BaTiO3 ceramics

Grain size is important in the barium titanate ceramics used as capacitors and thermistors. Normally this is controlled by chemical additives and firing schedules, but growth twins also lead to increased grain size. Seeding experiments described in this paper demonstrate how the twins can be used to produce large-grained BaTiO₃ ceramics.     

Mechanistic and Spectral Studies of the Ruthenium(III) Catalysed Oxidation of Sulfanilic Acid by Alkaline Hexacyanoferrate(III)

Summary. The kinetics of ruthenium(III) catalysed oxidation of sulfanilic acid (p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid) by hexacyanoferrate(III) in alkaline medium at a constant ionic strength of 2.5mol·dm^–3 has been studied spectrophotometrically using a rapid kinetic accessory. The reaction exhibits 2:8 stoichiometry (SNA:HCF(III)). The reaction showed first order kinetics in [hexacyanoferrate(III)] and [ruthenium(III)] and apparent less than unit order in both sulfanilic acid and alkali concentrations. The reaction rate increases with increasing ionic strength but the relative permittivity (_T) of the medium has a negligible effect on the rate of the reaction. Initial addition of reaction products did not affect the rate significantly. A mechanism involving the formation of a complex between sulfanilic acid and hydroxylated species of ruthenium(III) has been proposed. The active species of HCF(III) and ruthenium(III) are understood as [Fe(CN)₆^3–] and [Ru(H₂O)₅OH]²⁺, respectively. The main products were identified by IR, NMR, and mass spectral studies. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of mechanism are calculated. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed and thermodynamic quantities are also calculated.     

Selective growth of a less stable polymorph of 2-iodo-4-nitroaniline on a self-assembled monolayer template

Orthorhombic and triclinic crystals of 2-iodo-4-nitroaniline (INA) grow concomitantly from supersaturated ethanol solutions, but the less stable orthorhombic phase can be selectively grown on 3'-X-4-mercaptobiphenyl (X = NO(2), I) self-assembled monolayer templates.     

Electroconvection in a homeotropic bent-rod nematic liquid crystal beyond the dielectric inversion frequency

We characterize the structural transitions in an initially homeotropic bent-rod nematic liquid crystal excited by ac fields of frequency f well above the dielectric inversion point fi. From the measured principal dielectric constants and electrical conductivities of the compound, the Carr-Helfrich conduction regime is anticipated to extend into the sub-megahertz region. Periodic patterned states occur through secondary bifurcations from the Freedericksz distorted state. An anchoring transition between the bend Freedericksz (BF) and degenerate planar (DP) states is detected. The BF state is metastable well above the Freedericksz threshold and gives way to the DP state, which persists in the field-off condition for several hours. Numerous +1 and -1 umbilics form at the onset of BF distortion, the former being largely of the chiral type. They survive in the DP configuration as linear defects, nonsingular in the core. In the BF regime, not far from fi, periodic Williams-like domains form around the umbilics; they drift along the director easy axis right from their onset. With increasing f, the wave vector of the periodic domains switches from parallel to normal disposition with respect to the c vector. Well above fi, a broadband instability is found.     

Self-organization of mesomeric-ionic hybrid heterocycles into liquid crystal phases: a new class of polar mesogens

The first mesoionic nematic and smectic A mesogens derived from sydnones that are characterized by both covalent and ionic features have been synthesized and evidenced by optical, calorimetric and X-ray diffraction studies.