Thermotropic liquid crystalline compounds with lateral long-chain substituents (IV). Physical properties of 1,4-bis-[4-n-octyloxybenzoyloxy]-2-n-alkylbenzenes

Nematogenic Laterally Substituted Supramolecular H-Bonded Complexes Based on Flexible Core

New laterally CH3-substituted series of 1:2 hydrogen-bonded supramolecular complexes (HBSMCs) based on flexible acid core were prepared and mesomorphically investigated. Mixtures were formed through H-bonded interactions between adipic acid (A) and 4-(2-(pyridin-4-yl)diazenyl-(3-methylphenyl) 4-alkoxybenzoate (Bn). Mesomorphic and optical properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-spectroscopy. HBSMCs formed from 1:2 mol mixture of A:2Bn, where the base component (B) bearing different alkoxy chain lengths from n = 8 to 14. The new HBSMCs (A/2B) interactions were confirmed by Fermi-bands formation via FT-IR spectroscopy measurements. Results revealed that all prepared HBSMCs are enantiotropic, exhibiting induced nematic (N) phase. The XRD pattern confirmed the POM texture results. Moreover, a comparison was made between the new laterally HBSMC series based on flexible core and the previously analyzed laterally neat complexes.

Phase Behavior and DFT Calculations of Laterally Methyl Supramolecular Hydrogen-Bonding Complexes

Four new series of laterally methyl-substituted hydrogen-bonded supramolecular complexes were prepared. The prepared complexes were thermally investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and phases identified by polarized light microscopy (PLM). Supramolecular hydrogen-bonded complexes formed from a 1:1 mixture of any two derivatives, bearing different alkoxy chains, of 4-alkoxyphenylazobenzoic acid and 4-(2-(pyridin-4-yl)diazenyl-(2-(or 3-)methylphenyl) 4-alkoxybenzoate. The investigated 1:1 mixture made by introducing a lateral methyl group by different spatial orientation angles into pyridine-based components. All new complexes were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and computational calculations used to study their stabilities. It is found that the prepared complexes are dimorphic, exhibiting smectic C and enhanced nematic phases. A comparison was made between the new series and previously investigated simpler complexes, revealed that the incorporation of the phenylazo group elongate the mesogenic part and hence broad nematic phases were obtained with high stability.

Ionic Liquid Crystals: Versatile Materials

This Review covers the recent developments (2005-2015) in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals. It was designed to give a comprehensive overview of the "state-of-the-art" in the field. The discussion is focused on low molar mass and dendrimeric thermotropic ionic mesogens, as well as selected metal-containing compounds (metallomesogens), but some references to polymeric and/or lyotropic ionic liquid crystals and particularly to ionic liquids will also be provided. Although zwitterionic and mesoionic mesogens are also treated to some extent, emphasis will be directed toward liquid-crystalline materials consisting of organic cations and organic/inorganic anions that are not covalently bound but interact via electrostatic and other noncovalent interactions.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of p-n alkoxy benzoic acid based liquid crystals - a DFT approach

In the present study structural effects of alkoxy chain lengths and mesogen properties of hydrogen bonded (nOBASA) complexes (n=5, 6, 7) have been studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrum. The B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory has been adopted for all the computations. The experimental FT-IR (400-4000cm(-1)) spectrum was recorded on the solid phase of the molecule. The intermolecular hydrogen bond formation has been conformed from the optimized geometry. The vibrational assignments, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies were calculated. The stability of molecule arising from hyper-conjugative interactions and charge delocalization were analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The electron density (ED) in the σ(*) and π(*) anti-bonding orbital and second order delocalization energies confirmed the occurrence of intermolecular charge transfer. The energetic behavior of the title compounds in solvent phase is examined using the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) method by applying the Onsager and polarizable continuum model. The molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surface was generated over the optimized geometry of the molecule to obtain the chemical reactivity of the molecule. The charge distribution of the mesogen molecules has been calculated. The reliability of the methods used has been assessed by comparing the theoretical results obtained from the experimental findings. Moreover, the mesomorphic behavior and the nematic phase stabilities for each molecule have been predicted using calculated local charge distribution. The simulated FT-IR spectrum of 5OBASA was agreed with experimentally observed spectrum.