Nematic liquid-crystal phases doped with the novel dopant compounds 1 (C 6 F 5 COO (CH) n OCOC 6 F 5, n= 1–7) and 2 (C 6 H 5 COO (CH) n OCOC 6 H 5, n= 1–7) showed an “opposite odd–even effect” on clearing temperatures. The tendency was exactly opposite to that reported for liquid-crystal dimers. A mechanism is postulated on the basis of the difference in the formation of molecular aggregations of even-and odd-number-dopant ...