LAUSR

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT ABSTRACT In this study, the synthesis, structural characterization and mesomorphic properties of newly thirteen calamitic rod-shaped compounds derived from chalcone and 4-n-alkoxy benzoic acid. Here we present, chalcone as central group and terminal side substituted iodo (−I) group containing homologous series. Comp.C1 displayed nonmesogenic nature, while comp.C3 to comp.C18 shows enantiotropic smectic plus nematic property except comp.C2 which show only nematic phase. It is shown that chalcone as central linking unit favors a calamitic liquid crystalline behaviour in molecules. Phase transition temperatures of present synthesised compounds were determined by optical polarising microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC). Thermal stabilities for smectic and nematic mesophases are 150.18 and 163.58 respectively.