Mesomorphism behaviour and photoluminescent properties of new asymmetrical 1,2-di(4-alkoxybenzylidene)hydrazines

{1-[4-(n-Alkoxy)]-2-(4’-decyloxy)benzylidene}hydrazines (n-alkoxy = O(CH2)nH, n = 1–9, 12, 16 or 18), an asymmetrical series of 1,2-disubstituted hydrazines, were prepared in a simple two-step procedure as a part of our continuing work in evaluating hydrophobic azine compounds as photoluminescent liquid crystalline materials. The compounds were characterized spectroscopically and their liquid crystalline behaviour and luminescent properties were evaluated using polarized light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction techniques. The studies revealed that all of these compounds are liquid crystalline materials exhibiting photoluminescent properties in the crystalline and liquid crystal states.