Effect of Configuration of Diastereomers on the Electro-Optical Responses of the Antiferroelectric Phase

Abstract

Two diastereomers, (R)-2-butyl (S)-2-{6-[4-(4‘-decyloxyphenyl)benzoyloxy]- 2-naphthyl}propionate, (R,S)-BDPBNP, and (S)-2-butyl (S)-2-{6-[4-(4‘-decyloxyphenyl)benzoyloxy]-2-naphthyl}propionate, (S,S)-BDPBNP, were prepared for investigating the effect of the configuration on mesomorphic and physical properties of the molecules. Both isomers displayed the same mesophase sequence viz. BPII-N*-TGBA*-SmA*-SmCAF*, and nearly the same magnitude of spontaneous polarization at any temperature below Curie point. However, the electrooptical responses of the isomers in the SmCAF* phase measured in 5-μm homogeneous cells coated with polyimide, showed that the (R,S)-isomer displayed a tristable switching, whereas the (S,S)-isomer displayed a V-shaped switching. These results suggested that V-shaped switching in antiferroelectric phase in the 5-μm cell bears no relation to the electrostatic effect of the bulk polarization but depends strongly on the absolute configuration of the diastereomers. The electrooptical respons...