Novel amides and Schiff's bases derived from 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives: synthesis and mesomorphic behaviour

Abstract

The synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of novel achiral amides (Ia–g, IIa–g and IVa,b), achiral Schiff's bases (IIIa–g and Va–g), chiral amides (VI, VII) and chiral Schiff's bases (VIII–XI) incorporating a 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring are reported. All amides of the series I and II display an enantiotropic smectic A phase. The amide IVa,b did not show mesomorphic properties. Amides of the series Ia–g and IIa–g contain a flexible n-tetradecylthio chain, the other terminal substituent is an n-alkoxy chain and n-alkyl chain, respectively (n = 4–10) and the 1,3,4-oxadiazole is in the terminal rigid core. Amides Ia–g have broader mesomorphic range and higher thermal stability than the corresponding amides IIa–g. Amides IVa,d contain the 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring in the centre of the rigid core and two flexible alkoxy chains as flexible terminal substituents. Thus, the mesomorphic properties are favoured if 1,3,4-oxadiazole is shifted to a terminal position of the rigid core. Schiff's bases IIIa–g display an enantiotropic dimorphism smectic C–smectic A. Schiff's bases IIIa–g have a broader mesomorphic range than the analogous amides Ia–g. Schiff's bases Va–g exhibit a dimorphism smectic A–nematic, and in contrast to this the analogous amide IVa,b did not show mesomorphism. The chiral amides VI and VII and chiral Schiff's bases X and XI did not show mesomorphic properties and only the chiral Schiff's bases VIII and IX display a chiral smectic C phase in a short mesomorphic range. A density functional theory theoretical study at the B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) level was performed in order to analyse the structural features that must be related with the mesomorphic behaviour of the reported compounds.