DIMESOGENIC COMPOUNDS CONSISTING OF 2 IDENTICAL TERMINAL NORMAL-(4-OXYBENZYLIDENE)-4-NORMAL-BUTYLANILINE UNITS AND A CENTRAL POLYMETHYLENE SPACER

A series of dimesogenic compounds having two identical, terminal Schiff base type mesogens and a central polymethylene spacer were prepared and their properties were compared with those of the corresponding monomesogenic compounds. The mesomorphic properties of the compounds were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and on a hot-stage of a polarizing microscope. All of the dimesogenic compounds formed mesophases enantiotropically with the exception of pentamethylene-1,5-bis(4-oxybenzylidene 4-n-butylaniline). This compound was monotropic and formed only a nematic phase on heating the solid, whereas it formed nematic as well as smectic A phases on cooling the isotropic liquid. Those compounds containing longer (octamethylene and decamethylene) spacers favored the formation of nematic phase whereas those having shorter (dimethylene and tetramethylene) spacers formed smectic phases. In general, the variety of mesophase forms exhibited by the dimesogenic compounds was significantly less than that shown by the corresponding monomesogenic compounds.