LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE PROPERTIES OF BIS(SALICYLALDIMINATO)COPPER(II) COMPLEXES - THE FIRST COLUMNAR DISCOTICS DERIVED FROM SALICYLALDIMINE SCHIFF-BASES

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of a homologous series of -4- n-alkoxybenzylidene)-3',4'-di-n-alkoxylanilines and their copper(II) c omplexes bis oxyphenyl)-4-n-alkoxylsalicylaldiminato]copper(II) are re ported. The disc-like copper complexes exhibited columnar hexagonal di sordered mesophases, which were characterized by DSC analysis and opti cal polarized microscopy. The structure of the mesophases was confirme d by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The mesomorphic properties for th ese copper complexes were compared with other similar metallomesogenic bis(salicylaldiminato)copper(II) complexes in terms of molecular stru ctural differences.