Novel Hydroxy- and Methyl-Terminated Triaromatic Schiff Base Compounds: Synthesis and Mesogenic Properties

Abstract

A series of Schiff base hydroxy-mesogens and their model compounds have been synthesized. The mesogen is constructed from three-ring-containing mesogens linked through ester and azomethine groups with a terminal hydroxy group. The related model compounds were also synthesized with varying chain length with a terminal methyl group and their properties were compared with that of hydroxy mesogens. Extensive characterization of all mesogenic compounds was carried out by Fourier-transform IR, 1H and 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy. The phase characteristics such as nature of phase, melting and clearing temperatures and phase range were evaluated using a hot-stage optical polarizing microscope and differential scanning calorimetry. The appearance of enantiotropic smectic phases is due to the high molecular polarizability of the triaromatic core with azomethine and ester linkages.