Physics Commons^™

Novel Examples Of Achiral Bent-Core Azo Compounds Exhibiting B1 And Anticlinic-Antiferroelectric B2 Mesophases, Veena Prasad, Shin-Woong Kang, Satyendra Kumar

Satyendra Kumar

The first examples of achiral bent-core molecules consisting of an azo linkage and five aromatic rings exhibiting bent-core mesophases are reported. They exhibit B1 and B2 phases as identified by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and electro-optical techniques. The B2 phase of these materials is identified to be the anticlinic–antiferroelectric, SmCAPA phase. The mesophases of these compounds have relatively low transition temperatures and wide temperature ranges. The observation of bent-core phases in azo compounds assumes significance from the fact that the introduction of the –NN– linkage adds a new dimension, namely photochromism, to this field.