Synthesis and thermal properties of dimeric alkoxy-substituted tolans

Four homologous series of dimeric tolans of the general formula RC6H4C≏C6H4O(CH2) m OC6H4C'CC6H4R (m'6-10; R'H, OC6H13, OC10H21 and OC14H29), denoted further as TOmOT or nOTOmOTOn, according to the number of aliphatic carbon atoms, have been synthesized. Dimers with terminal chains exhibited liquid crystalline behaviour. Crystal-crystal transitions were also observed. Resulting from the optical, thermal and miscibility studies, the following mesophases have been identified: nematic, smectics A and B, and the tilted smectics C and (probably) F or I. In the 6OTOmOTO6 series, a phase with a strong tendency to self-alignment occurred between the nematic and smectic A phases. This phase resembled the nematic in its viscoelastic properties, but also showed focal-conic textures. A transition between this ‘intermediate phase’ and the nematic was detected only from microscopic observations. On the contrary, the ‘intermediate phase’-smectic A transition was also detected by DSC (δH ∼ 1kJ mol−1). Both tilted (Sc and SF/I) and non-tilted (SA and SB) smectics were observed in the 10OTOmOTO10 series, while only tilted smectic phases were identified in the dimers with longer terminal substituents (14OTOmOTO14). Double melting behaviour was found in 14OTO8OTO14 and 14OTO10OTO14. An alternation of the transition temperatures and enthalpies with the odd-even alternation of the lengths of bridging groups was clearly observed. A correlation between total enthalpies of transition and solubilities of the dimeric tolans is stated.