Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of four ring, rod-like fluorene derivatives – the influence of the lateral substitution on mesomorphic properties of 2,7-bis(4-alkylphenyl)-fluorenes

ABSTRACT

This work presents new rod-like compounds being fluorene derivatives linked with other parts of the core at 2 and 7 positions – its synthesis and properties. The fluorene moiety is located in the central position of the four rings molecular core. The chain system in most cases was symmetrical and limited to pentyl or hexyl chains. To study the influence of the lateral substituents on mesomorphic properties two types of substituents have been incorporated, centrally located various short alkyl groups at fluorene’s 9,9 positions and outer core fluorosubstitutions located at side phenyl rings. All synthesised compounds exhibit liquid crystalline properties, where for laterally non-substituted and fluorosubstituted derivatives the dominant phases are smectics, while the nematics phases (nematic and chiral nematic – observed mostly on cooling cycle) occurs for compounds having alkyl substituents at 9,9 positions of fluorene. The synthetic methodology and mesomorphic properties of title compounds will be presented in detail as well as photophysical properties such as UV-visible absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Liquid crystal
• fluorene
• nematic
• smectic
• glass transition
• thermotropic calamitic mesogene
• fluorescence spectra
• absorption spectra

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to express gratitude to Dr Michał Czerwiński for absorption spectra measurements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Military University of Technologies PBS 23-895 project.