Antiferroelectric liquid crystals with amide linking group positioned at chiral tail

A homologous series of chiral liquid crystal compounds, N-methyl-N-pentyl-(S)-2-(6-(4-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)benzoyloxy)-2-naphthyl)propionamide, with an amide linkage in a chiral tail was synthesized and their mesomorphic properties studied. All the materials possessed an antiferroelectric smectic C (SmC_A*) phase, which was confirmed by observations of microscopic texture, switching current behaviour and electro-optical responses. The spontaneous polarization, P _s, and apparent tilt angle, θ, were also measured. The maximum P _s values are in the range of 173-222 nC cm^-2, and the maximum θ values are in the range of 26-30°.