The mesomorphic behaviour of cyanopropylalkyldimethylammonium bromides

A homologous series of N-cyanopropyl-N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylammonium bromides was synthesized and characterized. Its thermotropic liquid crystalline behaviour was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, dilatometry, and X-ray diffraction. A smectic A mesophase was thus identified. The smectic layers were found to be formed of two ionic planes alternately separated by sub-layers of disordered alkyl chains and cyanopropyl groups. The smectic structure was compared with that of the crystal at room temperature and also that of the smectic T structure of the N,N-dialkyl-N,N-dimethylammonium bromides already described in the literature.