Observation of filamentary growth patterns at the isotropic–SmCP_A phase transition in new unsymmetrical compounds composed of bent-core molecules

Abstract

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of several compounds composed of bent-core molecules, unsymmetrically substituted about the central phenyl ring, are discussed. These compounds contain substituents such as fluoro, chloro and trifluoromethyl at the terminal position of one of the arms of the bent-core molecules. Many of the compounds containing a chloro terminal substituent show filamentary growth patterns at the transition from isotropic to polar antiferroelectric smectic C phase. The liquid crystalline phase exhibited by these compounds has been characterized using a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical studies.