Synthesis and properties of chiral stilbene diacrylates

Two chiral and isomerizable liquid crystalline diacrylates were synthesized. The purpose of these compounds was to tune the helical twisting power of cholesteric materials containing these compounds by means of an E-Z photoisomerization of the photoactive group derived from stilbene. The photochemical behaviour of these compounds was studied with the aid of two model compounds containing the same isomerizable mesogenic group. The mesogenic group derived from 4-(4-hydroxybenzoyloxy)-4′-hydroxystilbene decomposes upon irradiation. Its isomer, derived from 4-(4-hydroxyphenoxycarbonyl)-4′ -hydroxystilbene, shows a clean E-Z isomerization. The HTP of the chiral diacrylate derived from the latter mesogenic group changes from 7 to 3 μm^-1 in dilute nematic solution. Colour changes in a cholesteric material containing this compound were observed. The effect was very dependent on temperature and concentration due to the strong smectic character of this diacrylate.