It is known that mesophase changes can be induced by E-Z photoisomerization of azobenzenes doped in liquid crystals. Novel azobenzenes have been designed on the basis of Molecular Mechanics and Molecular Orbital calculation, aimed at exploiting novel photoresponsive guest-host liquid crystalline systems exhibiting no mesophase change despite the drastic structural alteration of the guest molecules. It was found that the introduction of alkanoyloxy groups at both the 3- and 3â²-positions of azobenzene leads to phase stability of nematic systems upon the E-Z photoisomerization even at a dopant concentration as high as 20 wt%. However phase separation was brought about when 3,3â²-dialkoxyazobenzenes and 4,4â²-dialkoxyazobenzenes were employed as guest molecules. The relation between the conformational structures of the guests in their E- and Z-isomers and their compatibility with nematic hosts was examined thermodynamically. Experimental results were compared in some details with the simulations. It was shown that 3,3â²-dialkanoyloxyazobenzene prefers a rod-like structure in both E- and Z-isomers.
                                    已知,掺杂在液晶中的
偶氮苯通过E-Z光异构化可以诱导中间相的变化。在分子力学和分子轨道计算的基础上,设计了新型的
偶氮苯,旨在利用新型光响应的客-主液晶系统,尽管客分子的结构发生了剧烈变化,但仍不会出现中间相的变化。研究发现,在
偶氮苯的3位和3′位引入烷基氧基团会导致在E-Z光异构化过程中即使在高达20 wt%的掺杂浓度下,向列型系统的相稳定性。然而,当使用3,3′-二烷氧基
偶氮苯和4,4′-二烷氧基
偶氮苯作为客分子时,会导致相分离。研究了客分子的E-和Z异构体的构象结构与其与向列型主分子的相容性之间的热力学关系。实验结果与某些仿真结果进行了详细比较。结果表明,3,3′-二烷基氧基
偶氮苯在E-和Z异构体中更倾向于呈现杆状结构。