The molecular dynamics of the liquid crystals 8CB and 5CB confined to the m
esopores of the molecular sieve Al-MCM-41 with pore diameter less than 2.5
nm was investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The phase transit
ions of the liquid crystal cannot be detected for the molecules confined to
the pores. Moreover it has been found that even about 20 K below the melti
ng temperature of the bulk material a relaxation process occurs for molecul
es confined to the mesoporous material which does not exist in the bulk liq
uid crystal state. The temperature dependence of the relaxation rate of tha
t process obeys a Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law.