Diphenylacetylene homologues having a chiral alkyl group, synthesized by a palladium- catalyzed coupling reaction, provide a new series of liquid crystalline materials which form chiral smectic C (SmC*) phases exhibiting ferroelectric properties. Mesomorphic properties of the compounds composed of three aromatic rings is strongly affected by the position of an acetylenic linkage and the direction of an ester linking unit. The effect of variations in ...
