Liquid Crystal Properties of the Product Obtained by the Esterification of Ferulic Acid Derivative Possessing a Long Ethyleneoxide Group

Abstract

A ferulic acid derivative which has a long ethyleneoxide group was obtained via esterification reaction from a oxyethylene-substituted ferulic acid and 4-cyano-4'-hydroxybiphenyl. The compound was identified with an adduct of esterificated ferulic acid derivative and N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) used in the esterification reaction by the NMR. This compound showed a nematic phase and some other phases as well on cooling under the polarized microscopy experiments. The phase transition behaviour was complicated induced by thermal dissociation of the adduct. A single crystal was obtained by recrystallization from acetone to investigate the structure of the adduct.