Synthesis and study of the mesomorphism of highly polarizable mesogens towards applications in non-linear optics

Abstract

The synthesis of several 4-(4′-(4″-n-alkoxypiperidino)-trans-styryl)pyridine-N-oxides, a new liquid-crystalline series, is described. Its mesomorphic behaviour is studied, and it is shown that different members of the series exhibit partially bilayered smectic A phases; the degree of head-to-head association of the molecules, in the smectic A phase, is found to decrease when the temperature or the length of the aliphatic chain increases. This new type of smectogen should possess interesting non-linear optical properties.