Ferroelectric α-chloroester thiobenzoate liquid crystals

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Abstract
A straightforward synthesis of the 4'-hydroxyphenyl-4-(n-alkoxy) thiobenzoates (n = 6 − 14), which are extremely versatile intermediates for the preparation of a variety of thiobenzoate core liquid crystals, is described. For example, these phenolic intermediates have been esterified with the chiral (S)-α-chloroacids derived from L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine and, in addition, with (S)-2-methylbutanoic acid. Many of the resulting liquid crystals possess Sc* phases with large values of spontaneous polarization. The results of our initial characterization of the mesogenic and ferroelectric properties of these new phenyl thiobenzoate liquid crystals are presented and compared with those of the analogous series of phenyl benzoate core liquid crystals.