Bent-shaped liquid crystals represent a challenging field of condensed matter. Up to the discovery of the unique mesophase character of bent-shaped compounds only chiral mesogens exhibited ferro- and antiferroelectric switchable mesophases suitable for application. On the other hand, bent-core molecules, consisting of at least five, usually aromatic, rings, create a very complex system. Calculation and modeling of such systems can be made with limitations and simplifications. Therefore to obtain reliable predictions concerning structure-property relationship our factual knowledge need to be broadened. Numerous bent-core substances were prepared to make a better understanding on the connection between the structure and mesomorphic character of bananashaped molecules. Symmetrical bent-core materials derived from resorcinol and substituted resorcinols fluorinated on the outer rings in different positions were synthesized. Fluoro-substituents were introduced for two reasons: to investigate the influence of fluoro-substitution on the mesophase behavior in "bananas", and to make it possible to apply 19F-NMR technique for characterization of bent-core substances. Similarly, deuterated banana compounds were synthesized to get more information about banana mesophases with the help of 2H-NMR. |