L. G. Kuz’mina

Molecular and crystal structure of 4-alkoxybenzoic acids: Design of the mesogenic phase

The crystal and molecular structures of 4-alkoxybenzoic acids CnH2n + 1-O-C6H4-COOH, n = 4–12, which are nematic (n = 4–6) or smectic-nematic (n = 7–12) mesogenes, are studied. No direct relationship between the molecular geometry and mesogenic properties is found. All the crystal structures contain dimers formed by pairs of O…H-O hydrogen bonds between carboxyl groups. Crystals belonging to the group of smectic-nematic liquid crystals (SNLC) are built of separate regions, namely, loosely packed aliphatic regions and closely packed aromatic regions with significant π-stacking interactions. Loose aliphatic regions occur in crystals belonging to the group of nematic liquid crystals (NLC); however, they are surrounded by dense aromatic regions and do not run throughout the crystal. In NLC, π-stacking interactions are far weaker than in SNLC. At the early stage of melting of SNLC crystals, structurized associates due to both π-stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds are retained in the melt (smectic phase), whereas, upon further heating, only hydrogen-bonded associates are left (nematic phase). In the course of melting of NLC, only hydrogen-bonded dimers are retained in the melt (nematic phase).

Molecular and crystal structure of 4-hexylbenzoic acid: Design of the mesophase

The crystal structure of 4-hexylbenzoic acid C6H13-C6H4-COOH, which forms a nematic mesophase upon melting, is determined. The crystal contains three crystallographically independent molecules. Their molecular skeletons are made up of two almost planar fragments: a benzene ring, π-conjugated with the carboxyl group and a planar zigzag aliphatic fragment. One of the independent molecules forms centrosymmetric dimers via pairs of hydrogen bonds between carboxyl groups, whereas the two others are linked via hydrogen bonds. The dimers in the crystal are packed into pseudostacks with a pronounced nonparallel arrangement of conjugated fragments. There is no good mutual projecting of benzene rings in the stacks, which corresponds to efficient π-stacking interaction. The graph describing the mesophase of this compound contains only one structure-forming element (a hydrogen bond) and corresponds to the nematic mesophase.

Mesophase design: I. Molecular structure and crystal packing motifs of 4-alkylcyanobiphenyls

A comparative study of the crystal and molecular structures of 4-alkylcyanobiphenyls (ACB-n) CnH2n + 1-C6H4-C6H4-CN (n = 2, 4–12) belonging to liquid-crystal compounds revealed no direct relationship between the molecular geometry of these compounds and their liquid-crystalline properties. Mesogenic properties are determined by the alternation of the loosely packed aliphatic and closely packed aromatic regions in the crystals. Graphs describing the crystals and mesophases were designed for ACB-n. The graph for nematic mesogens of ACB-n (n = 5−7) has one structure-forming element. The graph for smectic-nematic (n = 8 and 9) and smectic (n = 10−12) mesogens have more than one structure-forming element. If different types of secondary bonds in the smectic mesophase have equal energies, the disruption of these interactions caused by the temperature rise occurs simultaneously and the system undergoes a transition from the smectic phase to the isotropic liquid. If the energies of different types of secondary bonds are different, the destruction of the mesophase occurs in steps and the phase transitions are more complicated (smectic-nematic-isotropic transitions).

Synthesis, complexation, and E—Z photoisomerization of azadithiacrown-containing styryl dyes as new optical sensors for mercury cations

New styryl dyes containing azadithia-15-crown-5 fragments were synthesized. The complexation of these compounds with Ag+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, and H+ cations was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy, steady-state, and time-resolved spectroscopy. The stability constants of the complexes were calculated from the spectrophotometric titration data. The photophysical properties and E—Z photoisomerization of styryl dyes and their complexes with mercury and copper(II) cations in acetonitrile were examined.

X-ray diffraction study of p-(alkoxybenzylidene)-p′-toluidines: Crystal and molecular structure of C10H21O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3

The crystal and molecular structure of p-(decaoxybenzylidene)-p′-toluidine C10H21O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3 is studied. The molecule is nearly planar. In the crystal packing, loose regions formed by aliphatic fragments of molecules alternate with pseudostacks of aromatic fragments of molecules that are related by the centers of symmetry. The stacks are built of dimers, in which molecules are linked by π-stacking interactions between benzene rings. There are no weak directional interactions between dimers in a stack. The presence of a single structure-forming element in the crystal, namely, the π-stacking interactions in the dimers, along with the similarity of the crystal packing to that of the C8H17O-homologue, which forms a nematic mesophase on melting, indicate that the crystals under study should exhibit nematic properties.

Binary palladium carboxylates with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents in the carboxylate ligand: Synthesis and structural studies. The crystal structures of Pd3(μ-CH2ClCO2)6 · CH2Cl2, Pd3(μ-C6H11CO2)6, and Pd3(μ-CMe3CO2)6

Replacement of the acetate ligands in Pd3(μ-MeCO2)6 in benzene gave complexes of the general formula Pd3(μ-RCO2)6 (R = CF3, CCl3, CH2Cl, Me, cyclo-C6H11, and CMe3). The structures of the complexes were determined using IR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the complexes contain a trinuclear Pd framework and that their spectroscopic and structural parameters depend on the donor-acceptor properties of the substituent in the carboxylate ligand.

Synthesis and structure of bis-crown-containing stilbenes

An improved procedure was proposed for the synthesis of stilbenes fused to two crown ether fragments at both benzene rings. The structure of new homologous symmetric bis-crown-containing stilbenes was determined by X-ray analysis. Relations were revealed between the size of the crown ether moiety and stilbene conformation in crystal and the mode of crystal packing. Conformational analysis of the prepared stilbenes in solution and in the solid state was performed by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and by DFT quantum-chemical calculations.

X-ray diffraction study of p-(alkoxybenzylidene)-p′-toluidines C2H5O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3 and C4H9O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3

The molecular and crystal structures of two p-alkoxybenzylidene)-p′-toluidines C2H5O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3 (1) and C4H9O-C6H4-CH=N-C6H4-CH3 (2) are determined by X-ray diffraction. Crystals 1 and 2 contain four and two crystallographically independent molecules, respectively. In 1, the geometry of the independent molecules is almost identical. In 2, the independent molecules differ in the conformation of the alkyl chain, which is disordered in one of them. An analysis of the crystal packing of 2 reveals the alternation of spacious layers formed by loosely packed aliphatic fragments of molecules and layers of closely packed aromatic fragments, which ensures the formation of the mesogenic phase in the course of melting of crystals 2. In crystal 1, loose aliphatic layers are absent.

Mesophase design: II. Molecular structure and crystal packing of 4-alkyloxycyanobiphenyls

A joint analysis of the molecular geometry and crystal packings of the members of a homologous series of 4-alkyloxycyanobiphenyl CnH2n + 1-O-C6H4-C6H4-CN with n = 5–12 does not reveal a direct relationship between the molecular geometry and mesogenic properties of these compounds. The crystal packings of all of them are built from alternating loose aliphatic and dense aromatic regions. The closely packed aromatic regions of crystals exhibit weak intermolecular directed interactions of different natures which are responsible for the occurrence of the mesophase. The type of mesophase depends on the number s of structure-forming elements, the ratio of their energies (if s > 1), and the melting temperature of the compound. A graph system is used to describe the crystal packings and the mesophase. It is shown that, although the mesophase graph is similar to the crystal graph, they may differ somewhat, because some symmetric limitations (for example, lattice) on the molecular associate structure are removed in the melt.

Synthesis and structure of styryl-substituted azines

New photochromic derivatives of 2-styrylquinoline and 2-styrylquinoxaline were obtained by the condensation of the methyl derivatives of the mentioned heterocycles with substituted benzaldehydes in the presence of basic and acidic catalysts, and also under the conditions of Wittig reaction. The structure of compounds obtained was proved by physicochemical analysis methods including XRD.