Molecular organization in liquid crystals: A comparative computational analysis

Abstract

A comparative computational analysis of molecular organization in four-nematogenic acids (nOCAC) having two, four, six, and eight carbon atoms in the alkyl chain is carried out with respect to translatory and orientational motions. The evaluation of the atomic charge and dipole moment at each atomic center is performed through the complete neglect differential overlap (CNDO/2) method. The Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory, along with the multicentered-multipole expansion method, is employed to evaluate the long-range interactions, while the “6-exp” potential function is assumed for short-range interactions. The total interaction-energy values obtained through these computations are used to calculate the probability of each configuration at the phase transition temperature via the Maxwell-Boltzmann formula. Further, the flexibility of various configurations is studied in terms of variation of probability due to small departures from the most probable configuration. A comparative picture of molecular parameters, such as the total energy, binding energy, and total dipole moment, is given. An attempt is made to explain the nematogenic behavior of these liquid crystals in terms of their relative order and, thereby, to develop a molecular model for the liquid crystallinity.