Mesogenic molecules dipole moments

Kurogoshi and Hori [ 104] determined the crystal structures of the mesogenic ethyl and butyl 4-[4-(4-n-octyloxybenzoyloxy)benzylidene]aminobenzoates. The compounds have different phase sequences crystal-smectic A-nematic-isotropic and crystal-smectic C-smectic A-nematic-isotropic for the ethyl and butyl compounds, respectively. Both compounds have layer structures in the solid phase. The butyl compound contains two crystallographically independent molecules. Within the layers, adjacent molecules are arranged alternately so as to cancel their longitudinal dipole moments with each other. In the ethyl compound the core moieties are almost perpendicular to the layer plane, while in the butyl compound these moieties are tilted in the layer. 

Polar symmetry (point group Coov or lower) is quite familiar at the molecular level as the symmetry required for the existence of a molecular dipole moment. Molecules possessing higher, nonpolar symmetry, cannot possess a permanent molecular dipole moment even when there are bond dipoles. Until the 1970s, no LC phases were known to possess polar symmetry, in spite of the fact that most mesogens are polar. 

This can be explained by the fact that in a polymer molecule (Fig. 78b) the longitudinal components of monomer unit dipoles mh are mutually compensated and the main part in the observed EB is played by normal components of monomer unit dipoles, mi, which can be parallel to the main chain of the macromolecule owing to its comb-like structure. In other words, in molecules of comb-like polymers containing mesogenic side chains, the orientations of the Mi components of the side group dipoles are correlated with each other. As a result, the macromolecule as a whole or part of it can exhibit a considerable dipole moment m in the direction of the main chain L (Fig, 78b). The existence of this dipole accounts for the orientation of the main chain in the field direction leading to negative EB. 

Similarly to the molecular engineering of calamitic molecules to produce ferroelectric smectic C phases [129], disk-like molecules with chiral peripheral chains tilted with respect to the columnar axis were predicted to lead to ferroelectric columnar mesophases [130]. Indeed, as it is the case with all flat disk-shaped mesogenic molecules, the tilt is mainly associated with the flat rigid aromatic cores of the molecules, the side-chains being in a disordered state around the columnar core. Thus, the nearest part of the chains from the cores makes an angle with the plane of the tilted aromatic part of the molecules. If the chiral centre and the dipole moment are located close to the core, then each column possesses a non-zero time averaged dipole moment, and therefore a spontaneous polarization. For reasons of symmetry, this polarization must be, on average, perpendicular to both the columnar axis and to the tilt direction in other words, the polarization is parallel to the axis about which the disk-shaped molecules rotate when they tilt as shown in Fig. 29. 

The anisometry of mesogenic molecules leads to anisotropic polarization in electric fields. If an electric field, E, is applied to a molecule, a dipole moment is induced. The dipole tends to orient in the direction of the field. The average dipole moment per unit volume defines the polarization, P, which is proportional to the electric field ... 

The purpose of this Chapter is to describe the dielectric properties of liquid crystals, and relate them to the relevant molecular properties. In order to do this, account must be taken of the orientational order of liquid crystal molecules, their number density and any interactions between molecules which influence molecular properties. Dielectric properties measure the response of a charge-free system to an applied electric field, and are a probe of molecular polarizability and dipole moment. Interactions between dipoles are of long range, and cannot be discounted in the molecular interpretation of the dielectric properties of condensed fluids, and so the theories for these properties are more complicated than for magnetic or optical properties. The dielectric behavior of liquid crystals reflects the collective response of mesogens as well as their molecular properties, and there is a coupling between the macroscopic polarization and the molecular response through the internal electric field. Consequently, the molecular description of the dielectric properties of liquid crystals phases requires the specification of the internal electric field in anisotropic media which is difficult. 

Schematic representation of a mesogen with an off-axis dipole moment making an angle p with the long axis, and the structure of molecules with very high positive and negative dielectric anisotropies.

Measurements and calculation of dipole moments, quadrupole moments and polarisabilities of mesogenic molecules... 

---