Abstract

NINAN, Oscar; CHAREYRON, Robert; FIGUEREIDO, Oscar  and  SANTIAGO, Julio. Benzimidazole-based liquid crystals. Rev. Soc. Quím. Perú [online]. 2006, vol.72, n.4, pp.178-186. ISSN 1810-634X.

2-pentadecylbenzimidazole (I) and 1,1'-bis(octadecyl)-2,2'-bibenzimidazole (II) have been synthesized and characterized by 1H-RMN, 13C-RMN, FT-IR, UV-Visible spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Their mesomorphic properties have studied by differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy with polarized light. I exhibit an enantiotropic smectic C phase between 93 and 102 °C, whereas II exhibit a monotropic cholesteric one between 52 and 29 °C. The appearance of this phase is unusual considering that the molecule is not quiral. I and II represent the first benzimidazole-based liquid crystals.

Keywords : Benzimidazole derivatives; bibenzimidazole; liquid crystal; cholesteric phase.