Rodlike metallomesogens containing nickel(II), palladium(II) and copper(II) based on novel enaminoketonato ligands

Several new enaminoketone mesogens were synthesized and coordinated to various metal salts to yield a variety of novel rodlike metal-containing liquid crystals. The mesophases were characterized by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Whereas the free ligands display SmA and nematic mesophases, the NiII and PdII complexes give rise to SmC and nematic phases, and the paramagnetic CuII mesogens to a narrow temperature-range nematic mesophase only. The magnetic behaviour of the latter was studied by means of EPR and magnetic susceptibility (SQUID) measurements.