Novel bent-shaped liquid crystalline compounds: 1. Synthesis and structure analysis of dimesogenic compounds with azo units

Abstract A new series of bent-shaped liquid crystalline compounds (2An), which were composed of two identical mesogens (azobenzene-type), terminal alkyloxy chains (n=6, 8, 10, 12) and 2-hydroxy-1,3-dioxypropylene as central linking unit, have been prepared. Their mesomorphic properties were characterized by polarized light microscopy, differential thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For 2An series, n=8, 10 and 12 compounds showed enantiotropic SmC phase, but n=6 compound did not show liquid crystal phase, as was confirmed by the XRD patterns.