NOVEL FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS AND DOPANTS FOR INDUCED FERROELECTRIC PHASES CONTAINING 3,4-EPOXY-2-OCTANOLS AS CHIRAL UNIT

The synthesis of a new class of chiral smectic liquid crystals is desc ribed, along with transition temperatures, phase behaviour, spontaneou s polarizations and related data. The general structure is shown in A, possessing a chiral unit derived from 3,4-epoxy-2-octanol. Two of the se new compounds show seemingly antiferroelectric behaviour. The influ ence of the mesogenic core structure on mesophase behaviour and ferroe lectric properties was investigated. The non-liquid crystalline repres entatives were examined as dopants for induced ferroelectric phases in an achiral matrix.