Intercalated liquid-crystalline phases formed by symmetric dimers with an α,ω-diiminoalkylene spacer

Abstract

Four series of symmetric, dimeric molecules with flexible α,ω-diiminoalkylene spacers have been synthesised and characterised by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. The effects on the mesomorphism of the various alkylene spacer (number of methylene units m = 5 to 8) as well as the terminal alkoxy chain length (n = 4 to 14) on the mesomorphic properties have been studied. The compounds with an even-numbered spacer display, in addition to a nematic phase, various smectic phases whose nature depends on the ratio between the length of the terminal chain and the length of the spacer (n/m). A modulated Smà phase was found for the ratio n/m = 1 to 1.6 and a SmC/crystal G polymorphism emerges at n/m > 1.7. In contrast, all liquid-crystalline dimers with odd-numbered spacers display an intercalated B6 phase regardless of the chain length. The preference for intercalated structures is discussed based on dipolar considerations following electronic structure calculations using a model molecule.