Synthesis and conformation analysis of 4-trans-alkylcyclohexyl 4-trans-alkylcyclohexylmethyl ethers

Abstract

Some 4-trans-alkylcyclohexyl 4-trans-alkylcyclohexylmethyl ethers have been synthesized. In contrast to their very similar chemical formulas, these compounds have much lower clearing temperatures than the corresponding 4-trans-alkylcyclohexyl 4-trans-alkylcyclohexyl ethanes. By quantum chemical calculations, using the semiempirical PM5, details of the molecular structures and their different conformations were analysed. The reason for the different mesogenic properties of the two substance classes is the dominating nonelongated conformer in the 4-trans alkylcyclohexyl 4-trans-alkylcyclohexylmethyl ethers.