The molecular and crystal structures of a homologous series of bipolar, mesogenic biphenyls–HO(CH2)nOC6H4.C6H4CN

The crystal and molecular structures of eight 4,4′-disubstituted biphenyls of the general formula HO-(CH2)n-O-C6H4-C6H4-CN (n=3−5, 7−11) (HnCBPs) have been determined. All compounds investigated have a nearly parallel molecular arrangement in the crystalline state, with dipole-dipole interactions between the molecules. For n≥7, isomorphic layered structures are observed. The inter-molecular packing is different for odd and even numbers of methylene units in the spacer.