Synthesis of laterally substituted bistolane liquid crystals

Methods for synthesizing bistolane liquid crystal materials with lateral methyl and ethyl substituents are presented. Some of the bistolanes are nematic at room temperature. These highly conjugated mesogens exhibit wide nematic ranges, small enthalpies of fusion, high birefringence and modest viscosity. Their potential applications for flat panel displays employing light scattering or Bragg reflection and for infrared optically phased arrays are foreseeable.