Characterization of New H-Bonded Liquid Crystalline Complexes Based on Iminophenyl Nicotinate

Two new 1:2 supramolecular H-bonded liquid crystalline complexes (SMHBCs) were prepared through double H-bond interactions between either isophthalic acid (A) or terephthalic acid (B) and a nicotinate Schiff base (I6). The formed complexes were thermally investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and their phases were identified by polarized optical microscopy (POM) and UV-spectroscopy. The formation of 1:2 hydrogen-bonded complexes was confirmed through their Fermi-bands observed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The first system (I6/A) was found to possess enantiotropic smectic A and nematic mesophases. Induced broad range of smectic A phase was observed in I6/A complex which is not shown by their individual components. The second complex system (I6/B) was purely nematogenic. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were applied to predict their geometrical parameters. Theoretical studies revealed that the isophthalic complex adopted the W-shape; while the U-shape was adopted by the terephthalic acid complex (I6/B). The linear geometry of the complex based on the isophthalic acid enhanced the mesomorphic behavior observed by the terephthalic complex; I6/B. Actually; the orientation of the two carboxylic groups was shown to highly affect the softness of the derived complex. On the other hand; the mapping orientation of the charge distribution can be used to explain the mesophase behavior. The photophysical characterization of isophthalic complex (I6/A) is also discussed