Mesomorphism Dependence of Molecular Flexibility with Reference to Bromo Tail Group

Halogenated chalconyl derivatives of novel homologues of esters are synthesized and studied with a view to evaluate their liquid crystal (LC) properties and their dependence on molecular structure with reference to molecular rigidity and flexibility. Novel homologous series of chalconyl esters comprises 12 homologues. All the members of a series are enantiotropically smectogenic. Nematogenic mesophase is missing throughout the series. Textures of smectic phase are of type A or C, as judged either by observing directly the sample homologue through polarizing microscopy or some selected members of the series by miscibility method. Transition temperatures were observed through an optical polarizing microscope equipped with a heating stage. The Cr-Sm transition curve adopts zigzag path and behaves in a normal manner. Sm-I transition curve exhibits an odd-even effect and behaves in a usual established manner. The average thermal stability for smectic is 154.79°C, and the mesogenic phase length range is from 5.1 to 24.4°C. The LC properties of the novel series are compared with structurally similar other known series. Thus, present novel series is fully smectogenic with middle ordered melting type and short range of liquid crystallinity.