Multifunctional Supramolecular Dendrimers with an s‐Triazine Ring as the Central Core: Liquid Crystalline,Fluorescence and Photoconductive Properties

Novel liquid crystal (LC) dendrimers have been synthesised by hydrogen bonding between an s‐triazine as the central core and three peripheral dendrons derived from bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid. Symmetric acid dendrons bearing achiral promesogenic units have been synthesised to obtain 3:1 complexes with triazine that exhibit LC properties. Asymmetric dendrons that combine the achiral promesogenic unit and an active moiety derived from coumarin or pyrene structures have been synthesised in order to obtain dendrimers with photophysical and electrochemical properties. The formation of the complexes was confirmed by IR and NMR spectroscopy data. The liquid crystalline properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X‐ray diffractometry. All complexes displayed mesogenic properties, which were smectic in the case of symmetric dendrons and their complexes and nematic in the case of asymmetric dendrons and their dendrimers. A supramolecular model for the lamellar mesophase, based mainly on X‐ray diffraction studies, is proposed. The electrochemical behaviour of dendritic complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The UV/Vis absorption and emission properties of the compounds and the photoconductive properties of the dendrons and dendrimers were also investigated     

Columnar mesomorphic organizations in cyclotriphosphazenes

A synthetic strategy has been developed to prepare cyclotriphosphazenes that bear polycatenar aromatic esters as promesogenic units linked to phosphorus atoms. The microsegregation of the rigid and flexible parts of the system and the space-filling properties are the driving forces that determine the kind of mesomorphism exhibited by the organocyclotriphosphazenes. Mesogenic units that contain only one terminal alkyl chain give rise to calamitic mesomorphism, since the molecules are arranged to give a cylindrical superstructure with the aromatic promesogenic cores elongated in a manner approximately perpendicular to the cyclotriphosphazene ring. On the other hand, mesogenic units that contain three long terminal chains exhibit columnar mesophases. In this case, a discotic structure consisting of promesogenic cores arranged approximately parallel to the cyclotriphosphazene ring can explain the columnar organization. The X-ray diffraction patterns corresponding to the Col(h) mesophase of the cyclotriphosphazene with dodecyloxy chains (8) indicate the presence of helical ordering, which was confirmed for a homologous compound bearing stereogenic centers on two of the terminal chains (11). All of the synthesized phosphazenes show a high thermal stability.     

Dendromesogens: liquid crystal organizations of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers versus starburst structures

A new series of liquid crystalline poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers is described. These dendrimers are made by attaching to the 0-, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-generation of PAMAM-terminal promesogenic units that carry two decyloxy chains in the 3- and 4-positions of their peripheral aromatic ring. X-ray diffraction studies show that all the compounds display a hexagonal columnar mesophase. A high density of aliphatic chains imposes a curved interface with the promesogenic units that forces the molecules to adopt a radial conformation, and therefore, the columnar structure. A model for the supramolecular organization of the different generations within the columnar mesophase is proposed based on the variation of some of the structural parameters.     

Simple and double pyridinium salts with cyanobiphenyl groups as ionic liquids and ionic liquid crystals: synthesis and investigation of thermal behavior

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of mono- and di-cationic pyridinium salts with one or two promesogenic cyanobiphenyl groups and different counterions, bromide, dodecylsulfate or...     

Characterization by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and 2D IR correlation spectroscopy of PAMAM dendrimer

FT-IR and 2D correlation spectroscopy were employed to study the microstructural changes occurring during phase transitions of a liquid crystal poly(amidoamine) codendrimer (PAMAM (L1)16(L2)16) generation 3, functionalized on the terminal groups by one-chain promesogenic calamitic units (4-(4'-decyloxybenzoyloxy)salicylaldehyde (L1)) and two-chain promesogenic calamitic units (4-(3',4'-didecyloxybenzoyloxy)salicylaldehyde (L2)). Spectral modifications associated with molecular conformation rearrangements allowing for molecular shape change on going from a liquid-crystalline organization to another were found. The transition temperatures were calculated, and they are in good agreement with the DSC data. Spectral analysis gives evidence of the LC phase transitions and to an additional transition associated with the existence of conformers. Various types of hydrogen bonding have been established.     

Synthesis, computational modelling and liquid crystalline properties of some [3]ferrocenophane-containing Schiff’s bases and β-aminovinylketone: Molecular geometry-phase behaviour relationship

Rotationally fixed [3]ferrocenophane extends the variety of possible molecular geometries in its derivatives in comparison with unbridged ferrocenes. In this respect molecular geometry-liquid crystalline properties relationship studies in [3]ferrocenophane mesogens are of considerable interest. Different positional isomers of mono- and di-substituted [3]ferrocenophanes which are obtained by incorporating one or two promesogenic building blocks into the cyclopentadienyl rings are reported in this article. A series of mono-substituted [3]ferrocenophane-containing Schiff’s bases was synthesized by condensing isomeric p-aminophenyl [3]ferrocenophanes with appropriate aldehydes. Isomers of di-substituted [3]ferrocenophane amines gave rise to a series of azomethines with two promesogenic substituents in the cyclopentadienyl rings. Besides, a β-enaminoketone was prepared from 3-(p-aminophenyl)[3]ferrocenophane. Nematic and smectic mesophases were observed in the synthesized compounds under a polarizing optical microscope. The [3]ferrocenophane-containing β-enaminoketone showed complex mesomorphic behaviour connected with occurrence of the keto-enamine and imino-enol tautomeric equilibrium in this compound. On the base of computational models obtained by semi-empirical quantum chemistry calculations the molecular geometry-phase behaviour relationships were examined. It was demonstrated that mesomorphism of [3]ferocenophane azomethines depends on the spatial orientation of the substituents with respect to the propanediyl bridge in a case of mono-, and as well as to each other in a case of di-substituted derivatives.     

Liquid-crystalline hybrid materials based on [60]fullerene and bent-core structures

What a core-ker! By the appropriate combination of promesogenic bent-core structures and the C(60) unit, lamellar polar liquid-crystal phases were induced. The supramolecular organization of the functional fullerene-based assemblies, the temperature range of the soft phase, the stabilization of the mesophase-like order at room temperature, and the molecular switching under an electric field can be tuned, depending on the molecular structure.     

Side‐chain supramolecular polymers with induced supramolecular chirality through H‐bonding interactions

Side‐chain supramolecular polymers that show columnar mesomorphism have been prepared through H‐bonding interactions between a polyvinylpyridine polymer as H‐acceptor and different H‐donors derived from benzoic acid. These compounds have been designed according to a promesogenic structure, that is, either disk‐like or banana‐like, to promote stacking and therefore the formation of columnar arrangements. IR studies confirmed the formation of H‐bonds and demonstrated that the H‐bond intensity decreases upon increasing temperature. The mesophase organizations were studied by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X‐ray diffraction. Associations containing poly‐3‐methyl‐4‐vinylpyridine showed supramolecular optical activity, as evidenced by circular dichroism studies on thin films. It is proposed that these supramolecular polymers adopt a helical structure that can be biased toward a given handedness by virtue of the configuration of the stereogenic centers in the peripheral tails of the acids. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5528–5541, 2008     

Mesomorphic 4'-functionalized 6'-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridines: tridentate ligands for organopalladium mesogens

A novel series of 6'-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridines (HL-n) substituted in the 4 position with promesogenic functional groups has been prepared. The materials are strongly luminescent and display nematic mesomorphism. The HL-n behave as C,N,N-tridentate, cyclometallating ligands leading to [Pd(L-n)Cl] derivatives. Metal co-ordination promotes a considerable stabilization of the crystal phase, forcing mesophases to become metastable. All [Pd(L-n)Cl] species indeed exhibit a monotropic mesophase either nematic or smectic A in character depending on the chain length of the substituents on the central pyridine unit.     

Synthesis and physical behavior of amphiphilic dendrimers with layered organization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks

Amphiphilic carbosilane dendrimers with novel architectural layout have been synthesized. These dendrimers contain peripheral groups consisting of covalently bound promesogenic fragments and hydrophilic (oligoethyleneglycolic) linkages which are connected to a carbosilane core in two distinct ways: as spacer or as tail arrangement. Such molecules have a block structure where the hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks are distributed within the dendrimer forming layers of different polarity. The hydrophilic layer is either enclosed between two hydrophobic parts of the molecule or is situated on the periphery. The synthetic strategy for achieving these structures is described. The interfacial properties of the dendrimers were studied and the influence of the dendritic structure’s organization on the Langmuir film formation process is assessed.     

Synthesis and thermal properties of rigid oxa-bridged-containing dimers and tetramers

Several symmetrical, linear dimers and some star-like tetramers were prepared using easily accessible oxa-bridged derivatives as central rigid cores. In order to produce new liquid crystalline materials various mesogenic/promesogenic groups, containing biphenyl-4,4′-diol, 4,4′-(diazene-1,2-diyl)diphenol and cholesterol sub-moieties, were connected through oxy-ethylene linkers via an ester linkage, in the end-on fashion. Their thermal behaviour and mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscope (POM), and variable temperature small-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. While essentially all the biphenyl-4,4′-diol- and 4,4′-(diazene-1,2-diyl)-based dimeric derivatives exhibited smectic liquid crystalline mesophases, the nature of which are mesogenic groups dependent, none of the cholesterol-containing compounds and tetramers were mesomorphic.     

Highly fluorescent crystalline and liquid crystalline columnar phases of pyrene-based structures

A concept for highly ordered solid-state structures with bright fluorescence is proposed: liquid crystals based on tetraethynylpyrene chromophores, where the rigid core is functionalized with flexible, promesogenic alkoxy chains. The synthesis of this novel material is presented. The thermotropic properties are studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cross-polarized optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction. The mesogen possesses an enantiotropic Col(h) phase over a large temperature range before clearing. The material is highly fluorescent in solution and, most remarkably, in the condensed state, with a broad, strongly red shifted emission. Fluorescence quantum yields (Phi(F)) have been determined to be 70% in dichloromethane solution and 62% in the solid state. Concentration- and temperature-dependent absorption and emission studies as well as quantum-chemical calculations on isolated molecules and dimers are used to clarify the type of intermolecular interactions present as well as their influence on the fluorescence quantum yield and spectral properties of the material. The high luminescence efficiency in the solid state is ascribed to rotated chromophores, leading to an optically allowed lowest optical transition.     

Controlling the Spatial Organization of Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles by Composition of the Organic Grafting Layer

Understanding how the spatial ordering of liquid crystalline nanoparticles can be controlled by different factors is of great importance in the further development of their photonic applications. In this paper, we report a new key parameter to control the mesogenic behavior of gold nanoparticles modified by rodlike thiols. An efficient method to control the spatial arrangement of hybrid nanoparticles in a condensed state is developed by changing the composition of the mesogenic grafting layer on the surface of the nanoparticles. The composition can be tuned by different conditions of the ligand exchange reaction. The thermal and optical behavior of the mesogenic and promesogenic ligands were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and hot‐stage polarized optical microscopy. The chemical structure of the synthesized hybrid nanoparticles was characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), XPS, and elemental analysis, whereas the superstructures were examined by small‐angle X‐ray diffraction (SAXSRD) analysis. Structural studies showed that the organic sublayer made of mesogenic ligands is denser with an increasing the average ligand number, thereby separating the nanoparticles in the liquid crystalline phases, which changes the parameters of these phases.     

Quantum chemical calculation of exchange interactions in supramolecularly arranged N,N′‐dioxy‐2,6‐diazaadamantane organic biradical

Quantum mechanical exchange effects in purely organic N,N′‐dioxy‐2,6‐diazaadamantane biradical derivatives with promesogenic substituents have been studied. To determine intermolecular exchange energies, packing conditions of the radical core units in layered liquid crystalline phases are simulated using the Gaussian 09 program. The broken symmetry approach gives J ≈ 7 cm^?1 for intramolecular ferromagnetic exchange interactions between nitroxyl radical centers in one molecule. Both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic intermolecular interactions are possible in this kind of systems according to the obtained calculation results. Depending on the mutual positioning and orientation of molecules, the intermolecular antiferromagnetic exchange constant can reach a value of ?50 cm^?1, and the intermolecular ferromagnetic constant a value of 10 cm^?1. The simultaneous presence of intramolecular and intermolecular exchange between spin‐carrying centers in this kind of supramolecularly ordered multispin systems is favorable for the formation of magnetically interacting chains and two‐dimensional networks. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Long‐range effects of chirality in aromatic poly(isocyanide)s

The preparation of optically active atropoisomeric polymers which present chiral backbones, thanks to induction during their synthesis from stereogenic centers, located far away from the skeleton is possible, thanks principally to semirigid conformations of the promesogenic spacers between them. The result is that chiral “information” can be passed as far as 21 Å from the asymmetric center to the carbon atom that forms the polymeric chain in poly(isocyanide)s. The sense of chiral induction in these conformationally rigid polymers parallels the helical sense of the cholesteric phases, as well as to the helical senses of chiral smectic C phases, induced by the monomers in nematic and smectic C phases, respectively. All these phenomena obey the odd–even rules proposed for chiral sense changes in these liquid crystalline phases. Noncovalent interactions play an important part in the induction process, in which steric arguments can be used to justify the inductions observed. The methodology can be used to prepare macromolecules, which display switching behavior upon thermal or electrochemical stimulus. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3161–3174, 2006     

Synthesis and luminescent properties of novel lanthanide(III) beta-diketone complexes with nitrogen p,p'-disubstituted aromatic ligands

Tris-beta-diketonate lanthanide(III) complexes (Ln = Eu, Er, Yb, Tb), of general formula [Ln(acac)3 L(m)], with chelating ligands such as 4,7-disubstituted-1,10-phenanthrolines and 4,4'-disubstituted-2,2'-bipyridines, have been synthesized and fully characterized. The inductive effects of the para-substituents on the aromatic N-donor ligands have been investigated both in the solid and in the solution states. Single-crystal X-ray structures have been determined for the diethyl 1,10-phenanthroline-4,7-dicarboxylate europium and 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine erbium derivatives, revealing a distorted square antiprismatic geometry around the lanthanide atom in both cases. The influence exerted by the p,p'-substituents with respect to the nitrogen coordinating atoms on the Ln-N bond distances is discussed comparing the geometrical parameters with those found for the crystal structures containing the fragments [Ln(III)(phen)] and [Ln(III)(bipy)] obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database. The influence exerted by the electron-attracting groups on the coordination ability of the ligands, that in some cases becomes lack of coordination of the lanthanide ions, has been also detected in solution where the loss of the ligand has been followed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Moreover, the use of relatively long alkoxy chains as substituents on the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand led to the formation of a promesogenic lanthanide complex, whose thermal behavior is encouraging for the synthesis of new lanthanide liquid-crystalline species.     

Copolymers of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptane with 1,3-dioxane and promesogenic telechelic oligomers thereof

Copolymers of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptane (B) (and of its 2-methyl derivatives) with 1,3-dioxane (D) were obtained by cationic copolymerization initiated with benzoylium hexafluoroantimonate. Structure of copolymers was determined by ₁H- and ₁₃C-NMR. The proportion of the acetal bonds in copolymers was additionally confirmed in studies of the products of hydrolysis (only the acetal bonds hydrolyze). D is unable to homopolymerize for the thermodynamic reasons and therefore mostly pseudoperiodic copolymers (-DB_x-)_y are formed. Nevertheless, the reshuffling reactions are responsible for the appearance of “wrong” units. These are: the separate oxymethylene and oxy-1,3-propylene units (P, subunits of D) located between two B units. Only the acetal bonds are cleaved in the acidic hydrolysis with dilute HCl. This gives the promesogenic telechelic oligomers of mostly HO-P-B_x-OH structure. This article is the first to describe successful cationic copolymerization of a cyclic acetal with a cyclic ether. Moreover, the inability of D to homopolymerize gives the thermodynamic basis of the pseudoperiodic copolymer formation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1733–1742, 1997     

Towards periodic copolymers with flexible and mesogenic units in the main chain. Copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran with 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane

An attempt was made to prepare periodic polymers having promesogenic units of various lengths. Due to a certain distribution within these units, copolymers of this structure should rather be called pseudoperiodic. In order to understand better the behaviour of such systems, copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran (THF — soft units) with 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]-heptane (BC — hard units) was studied. The kinetically and thermodynamically controllable copolymerizations were elaborated, leading to products of different distribution of the THF and BC units. The apparent reactivity ratios are dependent on the copolymerization conditions due to the reversibility of the propagations on the THF type of active species. They vary: r̄₁ from 0.09 to 2.72, r̄₂ from 0.31 to 1.57 (1 stands for BC, 2 for THF). Pseudoperiodic copolymers of the structure $\rlap{-} [\rlap{–} ({\rm BC}\rlap{-} )_x {\rm THF}\rlap{-} ]_n $, where x̄ = 1 to 4, were prepared carrying out the copolymerization above the ceiling temperature of THF.     

The binding sites of carboxylic acid group contacting to Cu electrode

In this work, the binding sites of carboxylic acid binding to Cu electrode are explored by electrochemical jump-to-contact STM break junction. Single molecular conductance of benzene-based molecules with ending groups of carboxylic acid, carbonyl and hydroxyl are measured and compared. The conductance values of 1,4-benzenedicarboxaldehyde can be found in those of 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, which shows that carboxylic acid can bind to Cu electrode through carbonyl group. Carboxylic acid can also bind to the electrode through carboxylate group, and gives out larger conductance values than those of carbonyl group. However, molecule with hydroxyl group is difficult to form single molecular junction with Cu. The current work demonstrates that the carboxylic acid can bind to the electrode through carbonyl and carboxylate groups, and a new anchoring group of carbonyl group can be used to form effective single molecular junction.     

2-Bis(carboxymethyl)-amino-5-hydroxy-terephthalsäure als ambifunktioneller Ligand in Eisen(III)-Komplexen

2-Bis(carboxymethyl)-amino-5-hydroxy-terephthalic Acid as an Ambifunctional Ligand in Iron(III) Complexes From steric reasons the anthranilic acid -N,N-diacetic acid group and the salicylic acid group of 2-bis(carboxymethyl)-amino-5-hydroxy-terephthalic acid (H₅C) cannot coordinate to the same central atom. With iron(III) H₅C forms the mononuclear complex (HC)Fe(OH)^2?, the central atom is fixed to the anthranilic acid N,N-diacetic acid group. In a weak acid medium (HC)Fe(OH)^2? is converted into the binuclear species (HC)Fe(C)Fe(OH)^4? which is of a deep red colour. In this complex the anion C^5?has the function of a bridging ligand coordinating both by the anthranilic acid-N,N-diacetic acid group and by the salicylic acid group. The complex formation in the ternary system iron(III)/nitrilo triacetic acid/5-sulfo salicylic acid may be used as model for the dimerisation of the anion (HC)Fe(OH)^2?.