New five‐ring symmetrical bent‐core mesogens exhibiting the fascinating B7

Abstract

Three new homologous series of symmetrical five-ring bent-core compounds have been synthesized and investigated for their mesomorphic properties. The laterally unsubstituted parent compounds exhibit a metastable SmCPA phase. However, the two series of compounds containing a strongly polar cyano or nitro group at the angular position of the central phenyl unit show the fascinating classical B7 phase. The mesophases have been characterized using standard techniques.