Reentrant Mesophases in Disc-Like Liquid Crystals

Abstract
The first case of reentrant phenomenon in disc-like mesogens was observed in hexaal-kanoyloxytruxenes (Cn HATX). In this series of ten compounds (n = 6 to 15) a few of them, the long chain ones, displayed a reentrant columnar phase. On the other hand, a reentrant ND nematic series was prepared: truxene P-alkoxybenzoates (Cn HBTX) with n = 6 to 14. Phase transitions between solid, mesomorphic and isotropic phases were studied by hot-stage microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Binary phase diagram studies, optical textural observations and X-ray measurements showed a rich polymorphism in these two series: a nematic disc-like phase (ND ), a hexagonal ordered columnar phase (Dho ), a hexagonal disordered columnar phase (Dhd ), a rectangular disordered columnar phase [Drd(P21/a) ] and a strongly tilted rectangular columnar phase [Drd(C2/m) ].