Elsevier, Carbohydrate Research, (360), p. 78-83, 2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2012.07.018
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The synthesis and characterisation of a novel non-symmetric liquid crystal dimer, 1-[3-O-(d-glucopyranos-3-yl)]-8-[(4-methoxyazobenzene-4'-oxy)]octane is reported. This exhibits glassy behaviour and a highly interdigitated smectic A phase in which the aromatic and alkyl structural fragments overlap. Variable temperature infrared spectroscopy reveals that the strength and extent of hydrogen bonding within the system does not show a marked change at either the glass transition or at the smectic A-isotropic transition. This observation indicates that the smectic A-isotropic transition is driven by changes in the van der Waals interactions between the molecules while hydrogen bonded aggregates persist into the isotropic phase.