Synthesis, structure and mesomorphism of new cholesteric monomers and smectic comblike polymers

Seven new cholesteric monomers (M-1−M-7) and the corresponding smectic comblike polymers containing cholesteryl groups (P-1−P-7) were synthesized. The chemical structures and purity were characterized by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and elemental analyses. The specific optical rotations were evaluated with a polarimeter. The mesomorphism was investigated by polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The specific optical rotation values of these monomers and polymers with the same numbers of phenyl ring and terminal groups were nearly equal, however, they decreased with increasing the aryl numbers in the mesogenic core. M-1−M-7 showed oily streak texture and focal conic texture, or fingerprint texture, or spiral texture of cholesteric phase. P-1−P-7 showed the smectic A phase. The melting, clearing, and glass transition temperatures increased, and the mesophase temperature ranges widened with increasing the aryl number in the mesogenic core. Surprisingly, although the molecular structures of M-6 and M-7 were similar to those of M-4, namely the mesogenic cores contained three phenyl rings, their phase behavior had a considerable difference, and T_m and T_i of M-6 and M-7 were less than those of M-4. In addition, M-6 and M-7 also showed an obvious glass transition. TGA showed that all the polymers had good thermal stabilities.     

Liquid crystalline calixarenes

Bowl-shaped (bowlic) liquid crystals are reviewed and new bowlic materials containing rigid tungsten-oxo calix[4]arene based cores are discussed. Tungsten-oxo calix[4]arenes with 8 and 12 dodecyloxy sidechains have been investigated and exhibit bowlic columnar phases which are stable over approximately a 200° temperature range. The uncomplexed tetra-phenol ligands display only a transient liquid crystallinity on the first heating, and the conformational rigidity provided through tungsten-oxo complexation is necessary for well behaved mesomorphism. For the 8 sidechain analog the clearing point is at 320°C and the addition of four more sidechains results in a lower clearing point at 267°C. Polarized optical microscopy and DSC indicate that the 12 sidechain analog displays a phase with the columns packed in a hexagonal lattice which is conductive to the formation of polar phases. Both complexes exhibit a pronounced tendency to bind Lewis base guests in their cavities, and DMF forms very strong complexes which were spectroscopically characterized. The DMF guest produces large effects on the phase behavior by suppressing mesomorphism and lowering the isotropic points by 115°C and 84°C for the 8 and 12 sidechain compounds respectively. This extreme sensitivity to the DMF guest is conclusive proof that bowlic tungsten-oxo calix[4]arene liquid crystals organize in head-to-tail structures.This paper is dedicated to the commemorative issue on the 50th anniversary of calixarenes.     

Liquid crystal behaviour of ionic allylpalladium complexes containing 2-pyrazolylpyridine as bidentate N,N′-ligand

Two types of Pd-complexes containing the new N,N′-ligands 2-[3-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)pyrazol-1-yl]pyridine (pz^Rpy; R = C₆H₄OC_nH_2n+1, n = 6 (hp), 10 (dp), 12 (ddp), 14 (tdp), 16 (hdp), 18 (odp)) (1-6), namely c-[Pd(Cl)₂(pz^Rpy)] (7-10) and c-[Pd(η³-C₃H₅)(pz^Rpy)]BF₄ (11-16), have been synthesised and characterised by different spectroscopic techniques. Those members of the second type containing the largest chains (R = ddp 13, tdp 14, hdp 15, odp 16) have been found to have liquid crystal properties showing smectic A mesophases. By contrast, neither the free ligands pz^Rpy nor their related c-[Pd(Cl)₂(pz^Rpy)] complexes exhibited mesomorphism. The new synthesised metallomesogens are mononuclear complexes with an unsymmetrical molecular shape as deduced from the X-ray structures of c-[Pd(η³-C₃H₅)(pz^Rpy)]BF₄ (R = hp, 11; dp, 12). Both compounds, which are isostructural, show a distorted square-planar environment on the palladium centres defined by the allyl and the bidentate pz^Rpy ligands. The crystal structure reveals that both the counteranion and the pz^Rpy ligand function as a source of hydrogen-bonding and intermolecular π?π contacts resulting in a ²D supramolecular assembly.     

Dependence of mesomorphism on geometrical shapes of isomeric and nonisomeric series of chalconyl esters

A meta substituted chalconyl ester homologous series: RO?C₆H₄?COO?C₆H₄(meta)?CO?CH?CH?C₆H₄?OC₁₂H_25(n)(para) is synthesized and studied with a view to understanding the effect of molecular substitution at meta position in a molecular structure on thermotropic liquid crystal properties. The novel homologous series consists of thirteen homologues (C₁ to C₁₈). All the homologues except the nonliquid crystal homologues C₁, C₂, C₃ are enantiotropic nematic with the absence of smectic properties. The transition and melting temperatures were determined by an optical polarizing microscopy (POM) equipped with a heating stage. Textures of a nematic phase are threaded or Schlieren. Transition curves (Cr-N/I and N-I) behave in normal manner except homologues between C₁₀ and C₁₄ of N-I curve, which show negligible deviation from normal and a smooth descending tendency. The N-I transition curve exhibits an odd-even effect up to C₁₀ homologue and then the odd-even effect disappears for higher homologues. Analytical and the spectral data support the molecular structures. Thermal stability for nematic is 107.3°C and the mesophase lengths range between 13.0°C and 35.0°C at the C₁₈ and C₁₂ homologues respectively. Group efficiency order for nematic is derived on the basis of thermal stability as ?OC₁₂H_25(n) (linear) > ?OC₁₂H_25(n) (nonlinear) > ?OC₁₆H₃₃ (nonlinear).     

Mesomorphism dependence on terminal end groups

A novel homologous series of liquid crystals (LC) 4-(4′-n-alkoxy cinnamoyloxy)-4′′-bromobenzylbenzoate was synthesized and studied with a view to understanding and establishing the relation between LC properties and the molecular structure. The novel series comprises 11 members, and all the members exhibit mesomorphism as enantiotropic smectic. None of the homologues are nematogenic, even in the monotropic condition. Transition temperatures were determined by an optical polarizing microscope equipped with a heating stage. The textures of smectic phase are of the type A or C. The transition curves Sm-I and Cr-Sm behave in a normal manner in the phase diagram. An odd-even effect is exhibited by the Sm-I transition curve. Thermal stability for smectic is 102.6°C. Mesomorphism commences from the very first member of the series. The series is entirely smectogenic and of middle-order melting type whose mesomorphic phase length ranges from 7.4°C to 60.9°. Analytical and spectral data confirmed the molecular structures of homologues. The mesomorphic properties of the present series are compared with structurally similar homologous series.     

Molecular flexibility dependence mesomorphism

A novel series of chalconyl homologue derivatives with RO.C₆H₄.COO.C₆H₄.CO.CH:CH-C₆H₄.N.(CH₃)₂ (Para) have been synthesized and thermotropically studied with a view to understanding and establishing the effect of molecular structure on mesomorphic behavior of the novel homologues. The series consists of thirteen homologues (C₁ to C₁₈). C₇ to C₁₈ homologues are smectogenic, C₄ to C₁₈ nematogenic and C₁ to C₃ nonmesomorphic. Thus, novel chalconyl series is predominantly nematogenic and partly smectogenic. Transition temperatures and textures of mesophases were determined using an polarizing optical microscope (POM) equipped with a heating stage. Analytical and spectral data confirmed molecular structures of homologues. Phase transition curves showing phase behavior in a phase diagram behaved in normal manner. Thermal stability for smectic and nematic are relatively low at 59.6 °C and 76.6 °C respectively whose, smectogenic and nematogenic phase length vary from 12 to 16 °C and 06 to 20 °C, respectively. Mesomorphic behaviors of the present series are compared with a structurally similar known homologous series.     

Effect of alkoxy terminal chain length on mesomorphism of 1,6-disubstituted pyrene-based hexacatenar liquid crystals: columnar phase control

Synthesis and mesophase-transition behaviors of six 1,6-disubstituted pyrene-based hexacatenar liquid crystals 1_n (n=8–18) are reported here. They were synthesized by the Sonogashira coupling between 1,6-diethynylpyrene and 2-bromothiophene bearing a trialkoxybenzoyl group. The phase-transition behavior was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy; a few mesophase progressions, I–Col/I–X–Col and Col–Sm, were observed, where X was an optically isotropic but unidentified phase. The structures of Col_r, Col_h, and Sm phases were analyzed by the X-ray crystallography, and the effect of the terminal alkoxy chain length on the mesomorphism was evaluated.     

Mesomorphism dependence on heterocyclic tail

A novel homologous series of liquid crystal materials containing a heterocyclic ring was synthesized with a view to understanding and establishing the relation between liquid crystal (LC) properties and a molecular structure; and with a view to curing skin-related diseases following biological activity studies. The series consist of 13 (C₁ to C₁₈) members. All the members are liquid crystals. The C₄ to C₁₈ members are smectogenic of which C₄ and C₅ are monotropic and remaining members (C₆ to C₁₈) are enantiotropic in nature; whereas all C₁ to C₁₈ members are enantiotropically nematogenic. Hence the C₁, C₂, C₃ members are only nematogenic and the rest of the homologues are smectogenic in addition to nematogenic. Transition temperatures were determined by an polarizing optical microscope equipped with heating stage. Analytical and spectral data confirmed the molecular structures of homologues. It is a middle ordered melting type series. LC properties of a series are compared with the structurally known series.