Liquid Crystalline Properties of 4-Alkoxyphenyl 4-Thiocyanatophenyl Terephthalates

This paper describes the preparation and thermal properties of a homologous series of 4-alkoxyphenyl 4-thiocyanatophenyl terephthalates. The homologous series shows nematic and smectic A phases commencing from the pentyloxy homolog. The smectic A phase is immiscible with the smectic A phase of polar liquid crystals having a terminal cyano group. Interestingly, the smectic B phase is also formed from the hexyloxy homolog, while the compound has a polar group at the terminal position.