Orientational elasticity of nenatic dimers

Using the method of threshold Frederick's transitions in magnetic field wer e determined the values of splay orientational elastic constants K-11 of th e nematic dimers 4,4'-bis-cyanobiphenyloxyalkanes with the number n of CH2 groups in their spacers from 2 to 12. The dramatic odd-even effect in the d ependence of K-11 versus n was evaluated. This effect is mainly due to the oscillations of the degree of intermolecular orientational order in the ser ies of the compounds under investigation. The increase of the values of the splay elastic constant K-11 of both odd and even homologous series of nema tic dimers with increase of the spacer length was determined.