| Abstract: | Two series of compounds with dimeric molecules have been synthesized and characterized. These molecules consist of two non-mesogenic units linked by an alkylene spacer through an ester linkage. The effects of varying the terminal as well as the spacer chain length on the mesomorphic properties have been studied. For compounds with an even number of carbon atoms in the spacer chains, the observed textures in the mesophases are reminiscent of those seen for the smectic phases of banana-shaped molecules. |
