The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of a homologous series of N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-4-alkoxyl-salicylaldimine, N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-4-(4'-alkoxybenzoxy)salicylaldimine, and their dicopper(II) and di oxovanadium(VI) complexes are reported, Copper complexes exhibited monotropic smectic A phases; however, vanadyl complexes showed no mesomorphism, A systematic comparison revealed that the mesogenic behaviors of these bimetallic complexes are induced by the weak intermolecular force and determined mainly by the central metal. The effects on the structural variations near the metal central cores and side chain density are also discussed.
