Laterally substituted dimeric liquid crystals

Abstract

Ten members of the homologous series α,ω-bis(2,4-dimethylanilinebenzylidine-4′-oxy)alkanes and four members of the α-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-oxy)-ω-(2,4-dimethylanilinebenzylidine-4′-oxy)alkanes have been synthesized. Their transitional properties are compared to those of the analogous compounds not possessing the 2-methyl substituent. Lateral substitution results in a large decrease in the nematic-isotropic transition temperatures. In contrast, the reduction in the entropy change associated with the nematic-isotropic transition is only slight.