Effects of Electrostatic Interactions on Orientational Order of Solutes in Nematic Solvents: NMR Experiments and Theoretical Predictions

The orientational order parameters of four aromatic solutes in nematic solvents, derived from proton dipolar couplings in NMR spectra, show a correlation with the dielectric anisotropy of the solvents. Explanation of the experimental behaviour is provided by a molecular theory based on the reaction field approximation.