The effect of molecular broadening on liquid crystal behaviour in oligoaryl mesogens

The synthesis and phase behaviour of a series of broadened oligoaryls, in which replacement of one or two of the phenyl groups of bi- and ter-phenyl mesogens has been made by 1,4-substituted naphthalene, is reported. The novel materials, which are not mesogenic, can be compared with the liquid crystalline 2,6-substituted isomers