The effect of cholesteric liquid crystalline solvents on the energetics of rotational thermal cis- trans isomerization of olefins has been examined. Rate constants have been obtained over a 70-degree temperature range for isomerization of trans-1, 2-di-(4-cyanophenyl)-1, 2- diphenylethylene in two isotropic solvents and three cholesteric liquid crystals and the Arrhenius parameters determined. The rates of isomerization are found to be consistently ...
