Photochromic antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing a diazene moiety were synthesized for the first time, and their photochemical switching behaviors were studied.
A practical synthetic route to a series of (R)- or (S)-(1-trifluoromethyl)alkyl 4-hydroxybenzoateshas been developed. These materials were prepared by the reaction of p-hydroxybenzoic acid with (R)- or (S)-1-(trifluoromethyl)alkanols in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid under reflux conditions. Further reaction with the acid chloride of4′-alkoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid gave the desired liquid