Nematogens with more flexible chains than aromatic rings in the core

Mesogens containing four rings in the main core can accommodate one terminal and two nearby lateral chains on each outside aromatic ring. These compounds containing six chains present an enantiotropic nematic range which is influenced by the rigidity of the links. The conformational behaviour of the first methyleneoxy group within the chains was investigated by one and two dimensional 13C NMR. The sign of the jump in chemical shifts when entering the nematic phase indicates the folding of each lateral branch. Dipolar oscillations during cross-polarization contact provide the values of the bond order parameter. The two first lateral fragments do not behave in the same way, demonstrating the influence of the fragment along which the chain is back folded.