Issue 19, 2014

Molecular design for a cybotactic nematic phase

Abstract

The cybotactic nematic phase (Ncyb) has attracted much attention. However, almost all molecules in which it has been investigated have had a bent-shaped structure. We designed a U-shaped compound, and some rod-like compounds which possessed a terminal hydroxyl group. We then investigated their phase transition behaviour using polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. The U-shaped compound possessing two 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-difluorobenzene units was found to exhibit an Ncyb phase, with a temperature range of 20 K and a smectic C (SmC) phase. The layer spacing in these phases decreased continuously with decreasing temperature. The rod-like compound, 4-[4-(6-hydroxyhexyloxy)phenyl]-1-(4-hexyloxyphenyl)-2,3-difluorobenzene, was found to exhibit an Ncyb phase with a temperature range of 25 K and an SmC phase. The layer spacing showed a discontinuous decrease at the Ncyb–SmC transition. This report presents two approaches for producing an Ncyb phase, i.e., (1) the introduction of a lateral correlation in the U-shaped compounds and (2) the introduction of different terminal groups in the rod-shaped compounds.

Graphical abstract: Molecular design for a cybotactic nematic phase

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 ጃንዩ 2014
Accepted
04 ፌብሩ 2014
First published
05 ፌብሩ 2014

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2014,2, 3677-3685

Author version available

Molecular design for a cybotactic nematic phase

W. Nishiya, Y. Takanishi, J. Yamamoto and A. Yoshizawa, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2014, 2, 3677 DOI: 10.1039/C4TC00001C

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