Mesomorphism of salicylideneaniline luminophores. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry studies of 4-hexyloxy-4′-hexylsalicylideneaniline
摘要
The structure and thermal properties of the mesogenic luminophore 4-hexyloxy-4′-hexylsalicylideneaniline (1) were studied by X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis methods (differential scanning calorimetry combined with polarized light thermal microscopy). The asymmetric unit cell of the crystal of 1 contains two crystallographically independent molecules with significantly different conformations. Both molecules have a benzoid configuration of the bonds in the salicylidene moiety; the active proton was unambiguously located at the oxygen atom. On heating, compound 1 undergoes three crystal—smectic—nematic—isotropic phase transitions. Under UV irradiation, compound 1 exhibits photochromism and yellow luminescence, which is observed only in the mesophase. On cooling of the mesophase to the solid state transition temperature and below, the luminescence disappears. A comparative ability of representatives of the homologous series of 4-alkyloxy-4′-alkylsalicylideneanilines to show luminescence and its relationship with photochromism are discussed.