Comparative Thermophysical Study of Some

Similarities and differences in the physical chemistry behaviour among several metal alkanoate series (thallium(I), lead(II) and copper(II)) previously studied are shown here. The presence of a 'condis' phase in the first two series is studied. The thallium and lead series present a smectic A mesogenic behaviour, while the copper(II) one forms molecular aggregates which develop columnar discotic liquid crystal phases. Finally, the monovalent cation salts form acid soaps with the acid; instead, when the cation is bivalent, the acid behaves as a polar solvent similarly to the water-surfactants systems. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.