Synthesis and thermal properties of antiferroelectric liquid crystals having phenylalkanoate and phenylalkenoate moieties

Abstract Novel antiferroelectric liquid crystals having phenylalkanoate and phenylalkenoate moieties were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties were studied. 4-[2-{1-(Trifluoromethyl)heptyloxycarbonyl}ethyl]phenyl 4′-decyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate 1b exhibited the chiral smectic CA phase at a temperature below the chiral smectic C phase. Biphenyl-cinnamate derivatives of the three-ring system exhibited a stable mesomorphic phase and enantiotropic smectic CA phase, with the carbon-carbon double bond acting as a mesogenic core.