Synthesis and characterisation of nematic liquid crystals containing a trans‐decalin ring

Abstract

The synthesis and mesomorphic behaviour of a series of liquid crystals incorporating a trans‐decalin ring and two aromatic rings linked by esters are reported. Structures of the new compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. A single crystal of compound 18 was prepared to confirm the trans‐conformation of the decalin ring. Liquid crystalline properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polarising optical microscopy. All of the synthesised compounds except 17e are found to show only an enantiotropic nematic phase over a wide temperature range.

Keywords:

• trans‐decalin liquid crystal
• nematic synthesis

Acknowledgments

Financial support from Shanghai Municipal National Natural Science Foundation (07ZR14040) and Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Application, Shanghai University are greatly appreciated.