Synthesis and Some Properties of 3-Fluoro-4-Cyanophenyl 4′-n-alkylbenzoates

A series of 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-alkylbenzoates, which show monotropic nematic phases, was prepared and their transition temperatures and melting enthalpies were measured. The 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate, 3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate and 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate were mixed with a nematic mixture (A) of 4-n-alkoxyphenyl 4′-n-alkylcyclohexane-1′-carboxylates. 3-Fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate decreases the N-1 transition temperature less, increases the birefringence more, and increases the bulk viscosity less than 3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate, and reduces the threshold voltage to the greatest extent. The dielectric anisotropies of 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate and 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate determined from a series of solutions of the compounds in nematic mixture (A) are 35.9 and 29.6, respectively.