Non-symmetrical dithiolium salts Mesomorphic properties

Abstract

A series of non-symmetrical dithiolium salts has been synthesized. Classical characterization methods (DSC and optical microscopy) show that according to the number and nature of the substituents, these dithiolium salts display crystalline or smectic A phases. These S _A phases have been studied by X-ray diffraction and several models are proposed to describe the molecular organization in the mesophase. In some cases, it was not possible on the basis of X-ray diffraction data alone, to determine which model should apply. In these cases, however, a comparison with similar molecules shows that one of these models is more probable than the others.