SYNTHESIS OF 1-(4-ALKOXY OR ALKYL-BENZOYLOXY-PHENYL)-2-(4'-PENTYLPHENYL)-ETHANES - INFLUENCE OF THE CENTRAL GROUP ON THE MESOMORPHIC PROPERTIES

An homologous series of mesomorphic compounds, the 1-(4-alkoxy or alkyl-benzoyloxy-phenyl)-2-(4 prime -pentylphenyl)-ethanes, has been synthesized. The compounds with R equals alkyl have low-melting points and wide mesomorphic ranges, for example from 33. 5 degree C to 106. 5 C. The compounds with R equals alkoxy exhibit a smectic polymorphism; for example a compound of this series is successively smectic B, F and C. The influence of the central linkage when the ethane group is replaced by an ester, single bond, ethylene, azomethine, azo, methylene-cetone or cetone groups, is discussed.