New switchable columnar liquid crystals

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Abstract
Penta- and hexa-substituted phenanthrenes and penta-substituted benzo[c]-phenanthrenes have been synthesized; these exhibit columnar phases and are electrically switchable when bearing chiral side chains. The liquid crystalline and electro-optical properties are described. A strong tri-state switching behaviour is observed with the phenanthrene derivatives. A helical phase structure, responsible for this switching behaviour, is proposed and the possible mechanism of the columnar phase switching process is discussed.