Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
The synthesis, characterization and phase transition studies of higher homologues of N(p-nbutoxybenzylidene)p-n-alkylanilines, Viz., 4O.m series (m=14 and 16) are carried out by thermal microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and density. The compounds exhibit a phase variant of nematic and smectic-A. Density studies reveal a first order nature of IN transitions and a weak first order NA transitions. An estimate of pressure dependence of the phase transition temperatures using the volume and enthalpy data are presented. A comparison of these results with other reported results in nO.m and other compounds are presented.