The effect of a lateral substituent on the mesomorphic properties in a series of ferroelectric liquid crystals with a 2-alkoxypropionate unit

Abstract

A new series of ferroelectric liquid crystal materials containing a lateral methyl group on the aromatic ring of the alkoxybenzoate unit has been synthesized and investigated. These materials exhibit a wide temperature range of ferroelectric SmC* phase on cooling (including supercooling) with a very high spontaneous polarization. All phase transition temperatures are lower when compared with those of similar non-substituted materials. In comparison with the compounds containing the lateral methoxy group, only the SmC*-Cr transition changed significantly. The values of spontaneous polarization are mostly increased compared with both non-substituted and methoxy substituted compounds.