Abstract The synthesis and transition temperatures of a series of novel thienyl-pyrimidine liquid crystalline materials is described. Palladium catalysed coupling of 5-n-alkyl-2-tri-n- butylstannyl thiophenes to 5-bromo-2-iodopyrimidine is used to create novel pyrimidine compounds which exhibit lower melting points than similar pyrimidine liquid crystals. These compounds exhibit a variety of phases including smectic A, C, G, B and hexstatic B also ...