Influence of alkyl chain length on the mesomorphism of 5-S-alkyl-5-thiopentonolactones and 5-S-alkyl-5-thiopentitols.

Mesomorphic properties of S-alkylthiopentonolactones (d-ribono, d-arabinono and d-xylono) and corresponding alditol derivatives with the general formula Su-SR (R=CnH2n+1; n=5-12) are studied. It was shown that the thermotropic and lyotropic phase transition temperatures are influenced by the following structural parameters: alkyl chain length, cyclic or acyclic Su structure and alditol conformation. Besides, it seems that n parity affects thermotropic phase transition temperatures.