Complexes of Fluorinated Liquid Crystals Containing an Oxyethylene Moiety with Lithium Salts: Phase Stabilization by Fluorine-Lithium Interactions

Abstract

We designed and synthesized fluorine-substituted liquid crystals containing oligo(ethylene oxide) end groups for the development of novel anisotropic ion conductive materials. We mixed these compounds with lithium triflate and examined the phase transition behavior of the resulting complexes. The smectic-isotropic transition temperatures were increased by the addition of lithium triflate. Comparison of the phase transition behavior with the corresponding non-fluorinated compound revealed that the stabilization of the smectic phase of the fiuorinated complexes was more significant than those of the corresponding non-fluorinated complexes. ^<19>F and ^7Li NMR spectra suggested that the stabilization in a wide range of temperatures should be induced by a specific molecular interaction between the fluorine substituent and the lithium ions.