Crystal smectic-B phase from a mesomorphic ferrocene derivative

The thermal properties of two ferrocene derivs., substituted by either one or two cholesteryloxycarbonyl units, were investigated. While the monosubstituted ferrocene deriv. was non-mesomorphic, the disubstituted ferrocene deriv. exhibited a crystal smectic-B phase. This result shows that ferrocene-contg. thermotropic liq. crystals, despite the bulkiness of the metallocene core, are not limited to disordered calamitic phases. [on SciFinder(R)]