We report the synthesis of a liquid crystalline compound containing four rings in the main core, two lateral hexyloxy chains and a terminal dioxyethylene methyl ether chain, This compound presents a wide nematic range starting from room temperature. The ordering of the chains has been studied by C-13 NMR in the liquid crystalline phase. The C-13 chemical shifts proved folding back of the lateral chains along the main core, and extended conformation of the dioxyethylene chain. The values of order parameters were derived from the transient oscillations of C-13 magnetization observed during variable contact-time cross-polarization experiments. For the dioxyethylene chain, the order parameters decrease monotonically along the chain without exhibiting odd-even oscillation and are noticeably smaller than those found in terminal alkoxy chains. These effects are interpreted by the change in geometrical and conformational characteristics of the dioxyethylene chain.

Laterally dialkylated nematogens containing a short terminal polyoxyethylene chain present a wide nematic range starting from room temperature. The ordering of the oxyethylene (OE) unit has been studied by C-13 NMR in the liquid crystalline phase. The values of the order parameters were derived from the transient oscillations observed during variable contact-time cross-polarization experiments. Along the oxyethylene chain, the order parameters decrease monotonically. These order parameter values do not present the usual odd-even effect and are noticeably smaller than those found for terminal alkoxy chains. Entering the nematic phase, the C-13 thermal evolution of the field-induced chemical shift in the OE unit is far smaller than the one usually observed for terminal alkyl or alkoxy chains, regardless of their non-negligible order parameters. In addition, no linear correlation between the order parameter and the field-induced chemical shift is observed for the carbons in the OE unit. This is an indication that the proportion between gauche- and trans-conformations in the OE unit is temperature dependent.

Optically active endo-bicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-ols compounds were prepared by lipase-catalyzed transesterifications with the racemic alcohols. High enantioselectivities and reaction rates were observed using the lipase from Candida antarctica.