THE SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEMATIC, HETEROCYCLIC IMINO-ESTERS

Some new families of bidentate Schiff base ligands containing 5- and 6 -membered heterocyclic rings have been synthesised. 4-Aminophenol was condensed with a series of thiophene, furan, pyridine and pyrrolic ald ehydes to generate the corresponding imine. The phenolic group of thes e heterocyclic compounds was esterified with 4-alkoxybenzoic acids and 4-alkylcyclohexanoic acids to give a range of compounds displaying ne matic behaviour. The correlation between the heterocyclic substitution and the thermotropic behaviour of these molecules is discussed.