Abstract
Two series of dissymmetric hydrazide derivatives containing alkoxyazobenzene with nitro terminal group and octyloxy terminal group, N-4-alkoxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-nitrophenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (Bn-NO2, n indicates the number of carbon atoms) and N-4-octyloxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-octyloxyphenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (B8-B8), were designed and synthesised, and their liquid crystalline properties were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, polarised optical microscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. It was found that B8-B8 with octyloxy terminal chains displayed monolayer smectic C phase, whereas Bn-NO2 with nitro terminal group displayed SmAd phase, and intermolecular hydrogen bonding was confirmed as the driving force. In addition, the effect of hydrogen bonding, dipole–dipole interactions and steric hindrance effect on the liquid crystalline structures were also discussed.
Funding
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21072076, 51103057, 51073071); the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province (201215009); Project 985-Automotive Engineering of Jilin University.