Ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases formed by mesogens with polyether terminal group

Abstract

Two homologous series of 4-(4′-polyalkoxybiphenyl-4-yloxymethyl)benzoic acid derivatives were synthesized and their liquid crystalline properties were studied. The compounds substituted by n-alkyl esters reveal strong discrimination of the tilted phase formation upon elongation of the alkyl group. In compounds with chiral, 2-(R)-alkyl terminal chain either ferroelectric or antiferroelectric phases were observed: however the type of polar order is not in simple relation to the number of atoms in the chain. For compounds in which the length of mesogenic core was extended by one phenyl ring both ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases were detected in a temperature phase sequence.