Use of inverse gas chromatography for the physicochemical characterisation of a new synthesised liquid crystal: (<i>S</i>)‐5‐(2‐methylbutoxy)‐2‐{[(4‐dodecyloxyphenyl)imino]methyl}phenol

Abstract

A new liquid crystalline compound, i.e. (S)‐5‐(2‐methylbutoxy)‐2‐{[(4‐dodecyloxyphenyl)imino]methyl}phenol (MBDOPIMP), was prepared and characterised. Phase transition temperatures of MBDOPIMP were determined by polarising optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Trace amounts of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane and decane were passed through a chromatographic column loaded with MBDOPIMP coated on Chromosorb W. The retention diagrams of the solvents on MBDOPIMP were plotted using specific retention volumes at temperatures between 105 and 125°C. Thermodynamic parameters, such as Flory–Huggins liquid–solvent interaction, , equation‐of‐state liquid–solvent interaction, , effective exchange energy, X eff, the exchange enthalpy, X 12 and exchange entropy, Q 12, were determined for the liquid crystal–solvent systems. Subsequently, the partial molar heats of sorption, ΔH¯1,sorp and mixing, , were determined from the slopes of the plots of the logarithm of the specific retention volume, ln , versus 1/T and logarithm of the weight fraction activity coefficients, ln , versus 1/T, respectively.