Highly tilted antiferroelectric (R) enantiomers useful for the formulation of eutectic mixtures

ABSTRACT

Novel chiral three-ring (R) enantiomers were synthesised using optically active (R)-(−)-2-octanol. Properties, such as the sequence of phases, the transition temperatures and enthalpies, were tested by a polarising optical microscope and differential scanning calorimeter. An antiferroelectric smectic phase (SmC_A*) with a direct transition from the antiferroelectric to the isotropic phase (SmC_A*-Iso) was observed for three esters with an achiral C₃F₇CH₂O(CH₂)₃O– terminal chain. Bi- and multicomponent mixtures with a broad temperature range of the antiferroelectric phase and good electro-optical properties were formulated. Helical pitch of pure esters and mixtures was measured by spectrophotometry method.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• (R) enantiomers
• high tilted smectics
• eutectic mixtures
• helical pitch
• tilt angle
• spontaneous polarisation

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Acknowledgments

I want to thank Mr Karol Ofiara for the help with measurements and Mr Jerzy Dziaduszek for the synthesis of (R)-4-hydroxy-4ʹ-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)biphenyl.

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 Technology grant [PBS 23-895].