Synthesis, Characterization and Unusual Dielectric Behaviour of λ-Shaped Mesogenic Homologous Series With Polar Substituents

Abstract

A new λ-shaped mesogenic homologous series with polar bromo and nitro substituent was synthesized by fixing rigid 2-bromo-4-nitrophenylazo groups to a resorcinol moiety. 4-n-alkoxybenzoyl groups esterify both the phenolic -OH groups. In the present series, methoxy and ethoxy derivatives are non-mesogenic, n-propyloxy to n-octyloxy derivatives exhibit enantiotropic nematic mesophase. Smectic C (SmC) mesophase commences from the n- octyloxy derivative as an enantiotropic phase and is retained up to the last member synthesized. The effect of polar bromo and nitro substituent on mesomorphic properties is discussed. In this paper, we also report the unusual dielectric behaviour of n-octyloxy and n-tetradecyloxy derivatives of the present λ-shaped mesogenic homologous series. The dielectric permittivity of the sample was found to be unusually low in SmC phase in comparison to nematic phase. We have explained it on the basis of two-conformer model, which can exist in SmC phase due to specific shape of the molecule. The model has been supported by calculating activation energy of both the possible conformers from Arrhenius plot of relaxation frequency versus temperature. There is a clear difference in the value of activation energy of both the conformers as expected.

Keywords: C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); D. Dielectric properties; D. Phase transitions

The Himalayan Physics

Vol.2, No.2, May, 2011

Page: 16-25

Uploaded Date: 31 July, 2011