Ferrocenylbiphenylyl- and ferrocenylterphenylyl-containing liquid crystals: Solid-phase precursors, structure, and properties

Abstract

This paper reports on the results of investigations into the liquid-crystal properties and structure of compounds belonging to a new class of mesogens containing monosubstituted ferrocenyl fragments, such as 4′-ferrocenyl-1,1′-biphenyl- and (terphenyl)-4-yl 4-alkoxybenzoates of the general formula Fc-(C6H4)m-O2C-C6H4-O-CnH2n+1 (m = 2, 3; n = 6, 8, 10, 12) and 4-alkoxyphenyl 4′-ferrocenyl-1,1′-biphenylyl-4-carboxylates of the general formula Fc-(C6H4)2-CO2-C6H4-O-CnH2n+1 (n = 10, 12). The crystal packings of the ferrocene-containing mesogens are theoretically predicted and calculated, and the results obtained are discussed.