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The effects of alkylthio chains on the properties of symmetric liquid crystal dimers.

Cruickshank, Ewan; Strachan, Grant J.; Majewska, Magdalena M.; Pociecha, Damian; Gorecka, Ewa; Storey, John M.D.; Imrie, Corrie T.

Authors

Grant J. Strachan

Magdalena M. Majewska

Damian Pociecha

Ewa Gorecka

John M.D. Storey

Corrie T. Imrie



Abstract

The synthesis and characterisation of four series of symmetric liquid crystal dimers containing either alkylthio or alkyloxy terminal chains are reported. The (E,E)-[pentane-1,5-diylbis(oxy-4,1-phenylene)]bis{N-[4-(alkyloxy)phenyl]methanimine}s, mO.O5O.Om and (E,E)-[hexane-1,6-diylbis(oxy-4,1-phenylene)]bis{N-[4-(alkyloxy)phenyl]methanimine}s, mO.O6O.Om series are nematogenic when the terminal chains are short whereas the higher homologues show the smectic A phase. The mO.O6O.Om series shows higher clearing temperatures regardless of the terminal chain length. The (E,E)-[pentane-1,5-diylbis(oxy-4,1-phenylene)]bis{N-[(alkylthio)phenyl]methanimine}s, mS.O5O.Sm series is solely nematogenic, and does not show liquid crystallinity when m ≥ 5. The (E,E)-[hexane-1,6-diylbis(oxy-4,1-phenylene)]bis{N-[(alkylthio)phenyl]methanimine}s, mS.O6O.Sm series, however, shows mesogenic behavior over the entire series, with the smectic C phase only emerging when the terminal chain is long, m ≥ 8. In general, for a given spacer length, the dimers containing alkyloxy chains show the highest clearing temperatures and the alkylthio chains the lowest. For the shortest terminal chains, however, the nematic–isotropic transition temperatures of the alkylthio materials are higher than those containing the alkyl chain. This behaviour is rather general and discussed in terms of steric and electronic interactions.

Citation

CRUICKSHANK, E., STRACHAN, G.J., MAJEWSKA, M.M., POCIECHA, D., GORECKA, E., STOREY, J.M.D. and IMRIE, C.T. 2023. The effects of alkylthio chains on the properties of symmetric liquid crystal dimers. New journal of chemistry [online], 47(15), pages 7356-7368. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NJ06252F

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 17, 2023
Online Publication Date Mar 20, 2023
Publication Date Apr 21, 2023
Deposit Date Aug 8, 2023
Publicly Available Date Aug 8, 2023
Journal New Journal of Chemistry
Print ISSN 1144-0546
Electronic ISSN 1369-9261
Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 47
Issue 15
Pages 7356-7368
DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NJ06252F
Keywords Alkylthio chains; Symmetric liquid crystal dimers; Molecular modelling; X-ray diffraction
Public URL https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2010311
Additional Information This article has been published with separate supporting information. This supporting information has been incorporated into a single file on this repository and can be found at the end of the file associated with this output.

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