BILAYERED SUPER-STRUCTURES OF ANTIFERROELECTRIC MESOGENS

Crystal structures of two antiferroelectric mesogens, TFMHPBC and MHPB C-10, were analysed by an X-ray diffraction method. In both crystals, mesogen molecules formed a herringbone structure which was essentially the same as that proposed for the antiferroelectric liquid crystal ph ase. Because of the crystallographic 2(1)-symmetry along the b-axis, o nly the b-axis component of the dipole moment remains in a smectic lay er. Since the dipole moment in the next layer has the same magnitude b ut the opposite direction, both crystals show no dipole moment as a wh ole. These structural features observed in their crystal states seem t o be conserved in their antiferroelectric liquid crystal phases which are just above their crystal phases.