Thermotropic Mesophases of Benzene Derivatives with Terminally Hydroxylated Groups

Abstract

Nine benzene derivatives substituted with at least one long alkyl chain in common and with various terminally hydroxylated groups have been prepared. Thermotropic meso-phases were observed in seven compounds and the hydrogen bonding of the alcoholic OH groups seems to be responsible for this behavior of novel one-ring mesogens. The X-ray diffraction patterns are consistent with a common structural model involving bimolecular layers of hydrogen bonding network separated by fully interdigitated alkyl chains.