Influence of fluorination and chain length on the static dielectric properties of nematogenic bi-cyclohexyl phenyl derivatives

Effects of fluorination and chain length of six bi-cyclohexyl phenyl compounds (3ccp-f, 3ccp-ff, 3ccp-fff, 5ccp-f, 5ccp-ff, 5ccp-fff) on their physical properties have been investigated. All the compounds exhibit nematic phase over a wide range of temperatures. Molecular mechanics calculation reveals that dipole moments of the molecules increases (1.93D to 3.37D) with fluorination in both propyl- and pentyl-based systems; increment in f to ff derivatives is more than in ff to fff derivatives. However, no change in dipole moment is observed with increased chain length. In the nematic phase, average value of dielectric constant (?_avg) is less than the extrapolated values of ?_iso in isotropic phase. Increased fluorination also decreases splay elastic constant, and thus faster response is expected in triply fluorinated compounds.