Properties of the liquid crystals formed by some 4′-substituted 4-(β-p-substituted arylethyl)biphenyls

Abstract

The C₂—C₈ ethers of 4-(β-4-cyanophenylethyl)-4′-hydroxybiphenyl and the C₃—C₈ ethers of 4-cyano-4′-(β-4-hydroxyphenylethyl)biphenyl have been prepared and found to exhibit liquid crystal phases of wide range. The differences between the two sets of compounds with regard to their m.p.s, and their smectic and nematic properties are discussed. Eutectic mixtures of these compounds with one another are capable of giving very wide range nematic phases. When the compounds are mixed together with other low melting nematogens such as 4-cyano-4′-n-pentylbiphenyl, low melting, nematic, eutectic mixtures are obtained; an unusual elevation of the N–I transition temperature relative to the predicted value is found for the latter mixtures.