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Abstract
A perturbation expansion of the pair correlation function is used to derive the molecular field self-consistency equations for non-rigid molecules. The order parameters and the thermodynamic functions are expressed directly in terms of the segmental interaction coupling constants. The values of these constants for the 4-n-alkyl-4'-cyanobiphenyis (NCB) are determined by analysing the orientational order parameters observed by N.M.R. in the nematic phase; they are in reasonable agreement with values obtained from calculations of the nematic-isotropic transition temperatures. It is found that contributions of the isotropic intermolecular interactions to the conformational energy of the alkyl chain are comparable in magnitude to the direct intramolecular contributions.