New smectogens with (S)-2-methylbutyl lactate group in the terminal chain and chlorine-substituted molecular core

ABSTRACT

We report the synthesis and mesomorphic properties of new chiral materials based on (S)-2-methylbutyl lactate group in the chiral chains and a lateral substitution by a chlorine atom in the molecular core. We have studied mesomorphic properties and found that homologues with only one lactate and methylbutyl in the chain exhibit the SmC* phase in a broad temperature range. We established the spontaneous polarisation and tilt angle values. The pitch values are rather small, being within the range 360–450 nm. On the other hand, a homologue with one additional lactate in the chiral part does not exhibit the mesomorphic properties. We have tried to establish the effect of lateral substitution by comparing all studied compounds with previously prepared (S)-2-methylbutyl lactate derivatives with non-substituted molecular core.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Ferroelectricity
• lactate unit
• glassy behaviour
• orthoconic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation [Project No. 18-14497S] and Operational Programme Research, Development and Education financed by European Structural and Investment Funds and the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports [Project No. SOLID21 – CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000760].