Amphiphilic propane-l,2-diol derivatives incorporating calamitic structural units

Novel amphiphilic propane-1,2-diol derivatives incorporating a wide variety of calamitic structural units, like biphenyl, dicyclohexyl. phenylbemzoate, phenyl pyrimidine and phenylthiadiazole, were synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour studied. Most of these compounds exhibit broad smectic A and C mesophases in the water-free state. These mesophases could be stabilized further by addition of water. The transition temperatures depend mainly on the hydrophilic properties of the rigid core and on the length of the spacer by which the core is connected to the diol unit.