Mononuclear Cu(II) complexes of novel salicylidene Schiff bases: synthesis and mesogenic properties

Two new Schiff base ligands 1 and 2 (where 1 = 4-(2-hydroxybenzilidenamino)-phenyl-4-(decyloxy)-2-(pent-4-enyloxy)benzoate, 2 = 4-(4-(decyloxy)-2-hydroxybenziliden amino)-phenyl-4-(decyloxy)-2-(pent-4-enyloxy)benzoate) and their copper (Cu)(II) complexes have been synthesised and characterised. The derivatives were fully characterised structurally, and their mesomorphic behaviour was investigated by polarised optical microscopyand differential scanning calorimetry. The structure of Cu(II) complex having 1 as ligand (3) was determined by X-ray diffraction. The Schiff base ligands exhibit enantiotropic nematic phases, the Cu(II) complex 4 shows monotropic nematic phase behaviour, while compound 3 does not show mesomorphism.