Liquid Crystalline Properties of S-(-)-4-(2-n-Alkoxy-Propionyloxy) Biphenyl-4′-n-Alkoxy-3,5-Dimethylbenzoate

Four new chiral homologous series of ferroelectric liquid crystals S-(-)-4-(2-n-alkoxy-propionyloxy)biphenyl-4′-n-alkoxy-3,5-dimethylbenzoate (DMn/m series) having O-substituted S-(-)-lactic acid as terminal group were synthesized, and characterized. They showed monotropic chiral smectic C and chiral nematic mesophases, and two representatives exhibited blue phase as well. Binary mixtures of these compounds were investigated. The effect of the lateral methyl substitutents and the length of the terminal groups on the chiral and non-chiral parts were investigated.