Synthesis and characterization of thermotropic amphiphilic liquid crystals: semiperfluoroalkyl-β-D-glucopyranosides

As part of our study of the mesomorphic properties of glucopyranosides containing fluorinated chains, this paper focuses on an investigation of the liquid crystalline behaviour of nonaromatic compounds. The synthesis of eight single-tailed materials which contain a semiperfluoroalkyl chain linked to the polar glucose head group is described. Using polarized optical microscopy, DSC and X-ray diffraction all the materials were found to show only monomesomorphism, a smectic A phase with bimolecular layers. The thermal behaviour is discussed in comparison with the previously reported data on the series of parent compounds.