Synthesis and phase transition behavior of novel tetrameric liquid crystals

Abstract

We prepared novel liquid crystal tetramers possessing cyanobiphenyl and phenylpyrimidine moieties, and investigated their phase transition behavior. The liquid crystal tetramers exhibited nematic (N) and smectic A (SmA) phases. X-ray diffraction measurements suggest that the SmA phase has an intercalated structure. We discuss the transition behavior of the novel designed tetramers in terms of their molecular shape.