The synthesis and liquid crystal properties of some 4-n-nonylphenyl esters of 3-(4′-n-alkoxybiphenylyl)- and 3-(4′-n-alkoxybiphenylyl)-3-methyl-propanoic acids and their laterally fluorinated analogues

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Abstract
A number of 4-n-nonylphenyl esters and mono- and di-fluorinated 4-n-nonylphenyl esters derived from 3-(4′-n-alkoxybiphenylyl)propanoic acids (II) have been synthesized and their thermotropic liquid crystal properties assessed with a view to obtaining tilted smectic phases for possible use in ferroelectric display devices. Many of these compounds exhibit wide temperature range SC and SI/F phases, but none gave the ideal phase sequence SC[sbnd]SA[sbnd]N[sbnd]I mainly because the structure of these compounds was not conducive to the formation of the nematic phase. To try to alleviate this problem a series of 4-n-nonylphenyl esters based on 3-(4′-n-alkoxybiphenylyl)-3-methylpropanoic acid was prepared, where a lateral methyl group was incorporated in the β-position of the [sbnd]CH2CH2CO2[sbnd] linkage. Incorporation of the lateral methyl group encouraged the formation of a nematic phase at the expense of both the smectic A phase and tilted smectic phases.