Synthesis and properties of ferro- and antiferroelectric esters with a chiral centre based on (S)-(+)-3-octanol

ABSTRACT

A homologous series of chiral three ring esters were synthesised and their properties were studied. The materials possess an antiferroelectric phase (SmC_A*) or/and a ferroelectric phase (SmC*), which was confirmed by observations of microscopic textures using a polarising optical microscope. The phase transition temperatures and enthalpies were checked by differential scanning calorimetry. The helical pitch was measured by a spectrophotometry method. For all cases the helix is right-handed, in the antiferroelectric phase the helical pitch increases with temperature, and in the ferroelectric phase the helical pitch is short.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• FLCs
• AFLCs
• synthesis
• phase transitions
• enthalpies
• helical pitch

Acknowledgments

I want to thank Mr. Karol Ofiara for the help with synthesis of some esters.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Military University of Technology grant RMN 08-972 and the National Science Centre grant UMO-2015/19/D/ST5/02730.