The Effect of Fluorinated Alkyl Group on Mesophase Thermal Stabilities

AbstractNovel liquid crystals possessing a fluorinated alkyl group, perfluoroalkyl 4′-alkoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate were prepared. The Sc-SA and SA-I transition temperatures were much higher than those of the corresponding non-fluorinated compounds, and exhibited anomalous increase with increase in the chain length of fluorinated alkyl group. These behaviors could be explained by their high linearity and rigidity compared with hydrocarbon alkyl group, as evidenced by MM2' calculations.