Properties of liquid-crystalline copper(II) complexes and their binary mixtures

Abstract

Eight new copper compounds with mesogenic properties from the series of the bis{1-[4-trans-(4-alkylcyclohexy1)phenyl]-alkylpropane-1,3-dionato} copper(II) complexes have been prepared. The thermal behaviour of these compounds was investigated by means of polarizing microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (D.S.C.) measurements. The mesophase, which could be found in most of them, is of the monotropic nematic type. This has been confirmed by miscibility experiments. The physical data of a binary mixture with an enantiotropic mesophase are also presented. In addition the crystal structures of two of the compounds are reported.