Abstract: | Long range dipolar coupling constants have been determined in three ferroelectric liquid crystals in their racemic forms using 13C NMR. Two of these liquid crystals are esters of α-chloroacids and 4-octyloxy-4'-hydroxybiphenyl, and have a very large spontaneous polarization in the smectic C* phase. The strategy used in the present study is the observation and measurement of 2H-13C splittings in the 13C spectra of monodeuterated compounds. The order parameters were calculated from the 1D spectra, and some of the coupling constants are compared with the 1H-13C coupling constants previously obtained from 2D experiments. In addition, the deuterium quadrupole splitting of these compounds was determined from their 2H NMR spectra. The experiments were carried out over the whole mesomorphic ranges of the liquid crystals, covering the smectic A and smectic C phases. |