Optical and Dielectric Studies of Azobenzene and p-Methoxy Cinnamic Acid (p-MCA)

Compounds of azobenzene and p-methoxy cinnaraic acid were purified after repeated crystallization. In this paper studies of optical and dielectric properties of the compounds were carried out first in the solid state at room temperature (30°C). The temperature range of the nematic phase of p-MCA was found to be slightly different from the reported value. Azobenzene has a mesophase in the temperature range 66.4-68.6°C. Negative dielectric anisotropy was also observed.