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Design and synthesis a series of azo multi-arm liquid crystal monomers (M1-M3) with cholic acid as the chiral core, followed by side chain graft copolymerisation with polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS)...

Two series of symmetric LC dimers with the same rigid group and different fluorine terminal group (F and F3C) have been synthesised by varying the length of flexible spacers, termed 1 F series (1 F...

Using tartaric acid as the core, six azo H-shaped liquid crystal compounds M1-M6 with different terminal substituents were synthesised. All products were structurally well characterised by elementa...

A series of star-shaped liquid crystal (LC), respectively, based on phloroglucinol, pentaerythritol and glucose as cores, rod-shaped molecules (MeOSBAA, MeSBAA and ClSBAA) containing a schiff base ...

Five non-symmetric three-arm liquid crystals (LCs) based on chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), termed as EFSD, EFSL, EFXD, EFXL and EFDZ, were synthesised. EF, which is a chiral smectic A (SmA*) LC, was...

A series of non-symmetric dimers with the same chiral core, mandelic acid (MA), have been synthesised by varying the terminal group and the rigidity of the molecules, termed QBBMA-3F3BT, QBMA-3F3BT...

This paper designed and synthesised a series of V-shaped liquid crystal molecules (X-SBAnE) with resorcinol as the core and Schiff base as the mesogenic arms (X-SBAAn). The effects of polar...

Two series of novel four-arm azobenzene liquid crystal molecules were designed and synthesized, and their mesophase properties, photo-induced transition were studied. Two series of mesogeni...

We synthesized two series of cholesteric liquid-crystal elastomers by hydrosilylation among monomers MA containing a cholesteryl group, MB (MC) containing a phenolic hydroxyl group and MD a...

With cholic acid as the core, five multi-arm ester liquid crystals were synthesised with different terminal substituents. B1–B5 were mesogenic arms which were linked to multifunctional chir...

Seven symmetric liquid crystal (LC) dimers containing different chiral cores and LC arms have been synthesised, termed EPDA-(R,S)PD, TFBDA-(R,S)PD, TFBA-(R,S)PD, TFBDA-(R)PD, TFBA-(R)PD, TF...

Six three-arm star-shaped liquid crystals (LCs) based on chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), termed as G-BH, G-YD, G-FD, G-DJ, G-DZ and G-BX, respectively, have been synthesised. CDCA was used as the chi...

A new series of multi-arm liquid crystals (D1–D5) based on cholic acid as the chiral core and ω-[4-(p-substituted azobenzeneoxy carbonyl]valeric acid (B1–B5) as the mesogenic arms were designed and...

A series of non-symmetric liquid crystal (LC) dimers with the same chiral core 1,2-propanediol (PD) have been synthesised, termed as ABBA-PD-TFBA, PBBA-PD-TFBA, ABA-PD-TFBA, PBA-PD-TFBA and AA-PD-T...

Four non-symmetric dimers containing mandelic acid as the chiral core have been synthesised, termed as QBMA-B, QBMA-BCN, QBMA-BBCN and QBBMA-BBCN, respectively. Chemical structures and liquid cryst...

A new series of multi-arm chiral liquid crystals (LCs) D1–D3 were synthesised and characterised. Cholic acid was used as the core and ω-[4-(p-alkoxybenzoloxy)phenoxycarbonyl]valeric acid (B1–B3) wa...

The cholesteric polysiloxanes (PLQ series) were obtained by reacting cholesteric monomer and phenolic hydroxyl monomer in different ratios with polysiloxanes. The chiral azo-containing polysiloxanes liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) were synthesised by esterifying PLQ series with acyl acid of azo diacid catalysed by 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). The chemical structures and mesomorphic properties of monomers and polymers were confirmed by conventional spectroscopic methods. The elastomers displayed elastic properties, reversible phase transition and high thermal stability. The Tg values changed irregularly and Ti values decreased at the beginning and then increased afterwards. The chiral azo-LCEs showed colourful textures and a Grandjean texture could be observed, which exhibited a red shift with increasing content of azo moiety. PLQ2–PLQ6 exhibited selective reflection in the visible light region, but PLZ1–PLZ4 can only observe selective reflection when appropriate mechanical pressure was imp...

Four symmetric and non-symmetric chiral liquid crystal dimers containing trifluoromethyl groups, termed as TFBA-PD-TFBA, UEBBA-PD-TFBA, UEBA-PD-TFBA and UEA-PD-TFBA, respectively, have been synthesised and characterised. UEA-PD-TFBA exhibited chiral nematic phase, whereas the other three dimers displayed chiral smectic A phase. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has revealed the structure of the smectic A phase for TFBA-PD-TFBA to be intercalated, whereas that for UEBBA-PD-TFBA and UEBA-PD-TFBA to be monolayer and interdigitated, respectively. In addition, the weaker peak corresponding to a shorter layer spacing was observed for UEBBA-PD-TFBA and UEBA-PD-TFBA. Considering the results of XRD measurements and computer simulations, the structural model corresponding to the shorter layer spacing is assigned as horseshoe-like shape. The absence of smectic behaviour for UEA-PD-TFBA reveals that the weaker aromatic–aromatic interactions cannot stabilise the smectic A phase.

A series of side-chain liquid crystal (LC) polysiloxanes were synthesised with Poly(methylhydrogeno)siloxane, 4ʹ-(undec-10-enoyloxy) biphenyl – 4 – yl 4- (trifluoromethyl) benzoate (Mth) and a chiral nematic (N*) LC monomer 1-allyl 10-(cholesteryl)-decanedioate (Mch). The chemical structures and LC properties of the monomers and polymers were characterised by FTIR, 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, POM and X-ray diffractometer. Mch is monotropic N* LC. The homopolymer derived from monomer Mch is enantiotropic N* LC. Monomer Mth is a smectic A liquid crystal. The copolymers derived from Mch and Mth are N* LCs. The temperatures at which 5% weight loss occurred are greater than 300°C for all the fluoro-containing polymers, and the residue weights of the samples at 600°C increased slightly as the content of trifluoromethyl mesogens increased in the polymers. The glass transition temperatures of the polymers increased as trifluoromethyl mesogens increased, too. The N*–I pha...

A series of cholesteryl-containing imidazolium chlorides and imidazolium tetrachloroaluminates were synthesised, and the chemical structure, liquid crystalline behaviour and ionic conductivity were characterised by several technical methods. Whereas the imidazolium chlorides show chiral smectic A (SmA*) phase on heating and cooling cycles, the imidazolium tetrachloroaluminates display chiral nematic (N*) phase, which is uncommon for ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). The imidazolium chlorides display similar phase transition temperature and entropy, indicating the cholesteryl component influence predominately on the phase transition rather than the different alkyl substituent groups. The imidazolium tetrachloroaluminates show lower melting point temperatures and lower clear point temperature than the imidazolium chlorides. The mesophases exist at rather moderate temperatures. Non-mesomorphic imidazolium tetrachloroaluminate(III) salts with short alkyl substituents have been known for a long time, and the synth...

A new series of side-chain chiral liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M1 (cholest-5-3-ol(3β)-4-(2-propen-yloxy)]benzoate) and MC(2,5-[3,5-bis(4-(3-(4-(allyloxy)phenyl)propanoyloxy)benzoyloxy)benzoic acid]isosorbide diester). The structures of monomers and elastomers measured by using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra (1H-NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) separately are consistent with our design. IIP~VIP all appeared blue Grandjean (GJ) texture on the heating cycle or cooling cycle. The glass sheets of IIP~VIP were made under 150°C and measured its ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry by PerkinElmer Lambda 950 instrument (Shelton, CT, USA). IIP~VIP all have absorptions at about 481~483 and 561~562 nm. The optical activities were measured at different temperatures on heating and cooling cycles. And the blue selective reflection of IIP~VIP on the round glass sheet can be seen. The elastomers containing less than 6 mol% of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, rev...

A new series of two-arm ( MA1 , MA2 ), four-arm ( MA3 ) and six-arm ( MA4 ) chiral liquid crystalline compounds containing isosorbide as the chiral core were synthesised. Four precursors of branched-arm A1–A4 were first obtained, and then were esterised separately with isosorbide to obtain four chiral branched-arm liquid crystals ( MA1–MA4 ). The structure and properties have been characterised. The results show that MA1 was smectic–cholesteric phase with a fan-like and oily streak texture; MA2–MA4 showed a cholesteric phase with oily streak texture, or lined texture and finger print texture. Isosorbide successfully induced a cholesteric phase. The melting point and clearing point values for MA1–MA4 first increased and then decreased. The branched-arm and chiral core quantity affected the liquid crystalline properties. At the same time, the difference in side-arms resulted in different directions of rotation. MA1–MA2 showed right-handed rotation and had selective reflection; MA3–MA4 demonstrated left-hand...

Three esters of maltose (A1–A3) with 4–(4–(alkoxybenzoyloxy)phenoxy) –6–oxohexanoic acid (b1–b3) side-arms have been synthesised. All the maltose derivatives were laevo-rotationary, unlike their parent cores. The side arm b1 did not display liquid crystalline (LC) properties, and b2 and b3 displayed thermotropic nematic LC properties. The star-shaped compound (SSC) A1 with b1 side-arms did not display a mesomorphic phase. Unlike the nematic schlieren texture provided by side-arms b2 and b3, the star-shaped liquid crystals (SSLC) A2 and A3 displayed Grandjean and oily texture in the cholesteric phase. The results suggest that the LC properties of the side-arms have an important influence on the formation of LC properties in an SSC, and that the maltose core is important in determining the mesomorphic phase type. In other words, the SSC displayed LC properties only when the side-arms were also LC, and the maltose core induced a cholesteric phase in the SSLC with nematic side-arms. The mesomorphic regions fo...

A series of main chain liquid crystalline ionomers containing sulphonate groups pendent to the polymer backbone were synthesized by an interfacial condensation reaction of 4,4′‐bis(1,10‐sebacyloxo)benzoic acid, brilliant yellow (BY), and 4,4′‐biphenyldiol. 4,4′‐Bis(1,10‐sebacyloxo)benzoic acid exhibited nematic schlieren texture during heating and cooling. The ionomers are thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers and thermally stable to about 270°C. They exhibit broad mesophase regions over a range of 220°C and the same nematic mesomogen with a colourful thread texture as B0‐LCP, which implies that the introduction of an ionic group did not change the texture of the B0‐LCP. However, the thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were somewhat weakened when the concentration of BY was more than 5%. The inherent viscosity in N,N‐dimethylformamide solution suggested that intermolecular associations of sulphonate groups occurred at low concentration, and intermolecular associations predominated at higher conc...

In this work we prepared a nematic monomer (4′‐allyloxybiphenyl 4′‐ethoxybenzoate, M1 ), a chiral crosslinking agent (isosorbide 4‐allyloxybenzoyl bisate, M2 ) and a series of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M1 and M2 . The chemical structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The effect of the content of the crosslinking unit on phase behaviour of the elastomers is discussed. Polymer P1 showed a nematic phase, P2 –P7 showed a cholesteric phase; P6 formed a blue Grandjean texture over a broad temperature range 145–209.6°C, with no changed on the cooling. Polymers P4 –P7 , with more than 6 mol % of chiral crosslinking agent, gave rise to selective reflection. Elastomers containing less than 15 mol % of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, reversible phase tr...