No. R = Melt NF-N/Iso N-Iso We optimised the geometries of RM734 and compounds 10 and 11 at the B3LYP/LAN2LDZ level of DFT (Table ). Utilisation of the cinnamate ester in 10 leads to an increase in molecular length; in turn, this gives a larger electric dipole moment (as a consequence of the larger separation of charges) and larger values of ShAP/RotAP. Under experimental conditions 10 does not exhibit the NF phase, rather it crystallises on cooling prior to reaching this point. In compound 11 the presence of the 2-ethoxyfuran unit leads to a slightly larger electric dipole moment than the parent material which, inter alia, leads to a direct NF-Iso transition at high temperature, beyond even the isotropisation temperature of the parent material. The high melting point of 11 defied our expectations that the bent (~ 120°) geometry of this unit would lead to a 'low' melting point, nevertheless the high TNF-N is a welcome observation.