Synthesis and ferroelectric properties of chiral liquid crystals derived from (S)‐1‐propyloxy‐2‐propanol

Abstract

A new optically active chiral moiety, (S)‐1‐propyloxy‐2‐propanol, was designed and synthesized by the treatment of 1‐propanol with (S)‐propylene oxide under basic conditions. Its derivatives, the (R)‐1‐propyloxy‐2‐propyl 4‐[4‐(4‐alkoxyphenyl)phenoyloxy]benzoates, PPmPPB (m = 8–12), were prepared for the investigation of mesomorphic properties. All of the chiral materials displayed enantiotropic SmA* and SmC* phases, and the shorter alkyl chain members (m = 8–11) displayed an additional unidentified SmX* phase. The switching current, spontaneous polarization, tilt angle, dielectric constant and electro‐optical response for the materials in the ferroelectric SmC* phase were measured. The electro‐optic responses in polyimide film‐coated homogeneously aligned cells exhibit thresholdless, V‐shaped switching in the ferroelectric phase.