Optically Biaxial,Re‐entrant and Frustrated Mesophases in Chiral,Non‐symmetric Liquid Crystal Dimers and Binary Mixtures

Sixteen optically active, non‐symmetric dimers, in which cyanobiphenyl and salicylaldimine mesogens are interlinked by a flexible spacer, were synthesized and characterized. While the terminal chiral tail, in the form of either (R)‐2‐octyloxy or (S)‐2‐octyloxy chain attached to salicylaldimine core, was held constant, the number of methylene units in the spacer was varied from 3 to 10 affording eight pairs of (R & S) enantiomers. They were probed for their thermal properties with the aid of orthoscopy, conoscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray powder diffraction. In addition, the binary mixture study was carried out using chiral and achiral dimers with the intensions of stabilizing optically biaxial phase/s, re‐entrant phases and important phase sequences. Notably, one of the chiral dimers as well as some mixtures exhibited a biaxial smectic A (SmA_b) phase appearing between a uniaxial SmA and a re‐entrant uniaxial SmA phases. The mesophases such as chiral nematic (N*) and frustrated phases viz., blue phases (BPs) and twist grain boundary (TGB) phases, were also found to occur in most of the dimers and mixtures. X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that the dimers possessing oxybutoxy and oxypentoxy spacers show interdigitated (SmA_d) phase where smectic periodicity is over 1.4 times the molecular length; whereas in the intercalated SmA (SmA_c) phase formed by a dimer having oxydecoxy spacer the periodicity was found to be approximately half the molecular length. The handedness of the helical structure of the N* phases formed by two enantiomers was examined with the aid of CD measurements; as expected, these enantiomers showed optical activities of equal magnitudes but with opposite signs. Overall, it appears that the chiral dimers and mixtures presented herein may serve as model systems in design and developing novel materials exhibiting the apolar SmA_b phase possessing D_2h symmetry and nematic‐type biaxiality.     

Asymmetric Catalytic Assembly of Triple-Columned and Multilayered Chiral Folding Polymers Showing Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE)

Unprecedented chiral multilayer folding 3D polymers have been assembled and regulated by uniform and differentiated aromatic chromophore units between naphthyl piers. Screening catalysts, catalytic systems and monomers were proven to be crucial for asymmetric catalytic Suzuki–Miyaura polycouplings for this assembly. X-ray crystallography of the corresponding dimers and trimers revealed the absolute configuration and the intermolecular packing pattern. Up to 61 960 M_w/41 900 M_n and m/z 4317 for polymers and oligomers, as confirmed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and MALDI-TOF MS, indicated that these frameworks were composed of multiple stacked layers. The resulting multiple π-assemblies exhibited remarkable optical properties in aggregated states (photoluminescence in solids and aggregation-induced emission in solutions), as well as reversible redox properties in electrochemical performance.     

Liquid crystal dimers and the twist-bend nematic phase. The preparation and characterisation of the α,ω-bis(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-yl) alkanedioates

Eleven members of the homologous series of liquid crystal dimers, the α,ω-bis(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-yl) alkanedioates, have been synthesised and their transitional properties characterised. These dimers consist of two cyanobiphenyl units connected by an alkyl spacer attached via ester linkages. All eleven members exhibit exclusively nematic behaviour. The nematic–isotropic transition temperatures, T_NI, and associated entropy changes, ?S_NI/R, exhibit pronounced alternations as the length and parity of the spacer is varied; this is characteristic behaviour of liquid crystal dimers. The transitional properties of the ester-linked dimers are compared with the corresponding materials having either ether, methylene or carbonate linkages between the spacer and mesogenic units. For short spacer lengths and both odd- and even-membered dimers, the ester-linked materials show the highest values of T_NI and the methylene-linked the lowest. For longer spacer lengths, T_NI of the carbonate-linked dimers fall between those of the corresponding ester- and ether-linked dimers. The ether-linked materials show the largest alternation in ?S_NI/R on varying spacer length and the carbonate-linked dimers the lowest. This behaviour is interpreted in terms of the molecular geometry and it is suggested that the ether- and ester-linked odd-membered dimers have rather similar shapes. A phase diagram constructed using binary mixtures of the pentyl member of this ester-linked series and the known twist-bend nematogen, 1,7-bis(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-yl)heptane (CB7CB), is presented. The twist-bend nematic–nematic transition temperature of the mixtures shows a striking convex curvature as the concentration of CB7CB is decreased, and so it is not possible to estimate a virtual twist-bend nematic–nematic transition temperature for the ester-linked material.     

Mesogenic Unsymmetric dimers containing cholesteryl ester and tolane moieties

Among unsymmetric oligomesogens, chiral dimers formed by connecting a cholesteryl ester fragment with various aromatic mesogenic cores through a polymethylene spacer have been attracting much attention due to their remarkable thermal behaviour. In particular, dimers containing a diphenylacetylene segment having an alkoxy chain have shown interesting mesomorphic behaviour. In view of this a new series of unsymmetric dimers consisting of a diphenylacetylene moiety having an alkyl chain and a cholesteryl ester unit joined through a paraffinic spacer have been synthesized and their liquid crystalline properties characterized. The lengths of the central methylene spacer (C₃, C₄, C₅ and C₇) as well as that of the alkyl chain (n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl and n-heptyl) have been varied to establish structure–property relationships. These investigations have revealed that all the dimers exhibit smectic A, twist grain boundary and chiral neamtic (N*) phases with the exception of one of the dimers for which only the N* phase was observed. Some differences in the mesomorphic properties of the unsymmetric dimers containing odd or even parity methylene spacers have been observed. The majority of dimers having an even (C₄) parity paraffinic spacer show a blue phase while the dimers with odd (C₃, C₅ and C₇) parity spacers exhibit the chiral smectic (SmC*) phase. In some cases, the SmC* phase exists well below (?60°C) and above room temperature.     

A Systemic DFT Study on Several 5<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-Electron Element Dimers: Hf<Subscript>2</Subscript>, Ta<Subscript>2</Subscript>, Re<Subscript>2</Subscript>, W<Subscript>2</Subscript>, and Hg<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Eleven kinds of density functionals in conjunction with three different basis sets are employed to investigate the homonuclear 5d-electron dimers: Hf₂, Ta₂, Re₂, W₂ and Hg₂. The computed bond lengths, vibrational frequencies and dissociation energies of these molecules are used to compare with available experimental data to find the appropriate combination of functional and basis set. The different functionals and basis sets favor different ground electronic state for Hf₂ and Re₂ molecules, indicating that these two dimers are sensitive to the functionals used. The molecular properties of Hg₂ dimer depend strongly on both functionals and basis sets used. It is found that the BP86 and PBEPBE functionals are generally successful in describing the 5d-electron dimers. For the ground states of these dimers, the bonding patterns are determined by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Natural electron configurations show that the 6s and 5d orbitals in the bonding atoms hybrid with each other for the studied dimers except for Hg₂.     

1,3 Dichloro- and 1,3 dibromotetra-n-butyldistannoxane mixtures: ligand redistribution and fluxional dynamics in distannoxanes

The halogen redistribution reaction in the binary [ⁿBu₂SnCl]₂O/[ⁿBu₂SnBr]₂O system is examined by ¹¹⁹Sn- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Binary mixtures of [ⁿBu₂SnCl]₂O and [ⁿBu₂SnBr]₂O reach equilibrium rapidly at room temperature. The reactant dimers are found to be in equilibrium with all five possible mixed distannoxane dimers in the equimolar mixture. These mixed distannoxane dimers differ in the ratio of Cl and Br as well as the relative positioning of the halogens. The mechanism responsible for the rapid formation of the mixed Cl:Br distannoxane dimers is found to proceed via bimolecular collisions producing a four-centered transition state, which in turn undergoes a concerted exchange of the halogens. The equilibrium concentrations of the reactant and product dimers are well represented by a statistical distribution, indicating that Cl and Br exhibit equivalent donor abilities. At 298 K, the NMR spectral data are consistent with time-averaged structures arising from rapidly interconverting rigid ladder pairs. Lowering the temperature to 173 K failed to freeze out this fluxional process. A reversible configurational rearrangement is also observed in which rotation about the oxygen---exocyclic tin bond results in the mutual exchange of halogens associated with the same exocyclic tin atom.     

Substitutional doping of symmetrical small fullerene dimers

Magnetic carbon nano-structures have potential applications in the field of spintronics as they exhibit valuable magnetic properties. Symmetrically sized small fullerene dimers are substitutional doped with nitrogen (electron rich) and boron (electron deficient) atoms to visualize the effect on their magnetic properties. Interaction energies suggests that the resultant dimer structures are energetically favorable and hence can be formed experimentally. There is significant change in the total magnetic moment of dimers of the order of 0.5 μ_B after the substitution of C atoms with N and B, which can also be seen in the change of density of states. The HOMO-LUMO gaps of spin up and spin down electronic states have finite energy difference which confirm their magnetic behaviour, whereas for non-magnetic doped dimers, the HOMO-LUMO gaps for spin up and down states are degenerate. The optical properties show that the dimers behave as optical semiconductors and are useful in optoelectronic devices. The induced magnetism in these dimers makes them fascinating nanocarbon magnetic materials.     

Quinoline‐2(1H)‐thione,a structure with Z′ = 8

The title compound, C₉H₇NS, crystallizes as the thione tautomer with Z′ = 8 (four independent dimers with local inversion symmetry via two N—H⋯S=C hydrogen‐bond systems). The dimers are arranged in chains parallel to [10], each chain being crystallographically independent. These chains are associated into layers via stacking of ring systems. The Z′ value can be rationalized in terms of a factor 2 for dimer formation without crystallographic symmetry and an additional factor 4 for differing stacking environments.     

Methylene-linked liquid crystal dimers

A range of symmetric liquid crystal dimers which differ in the nature of the link, either ether or methylene, between the spacer and mesogenic units has been prepared and their transitional properties characterized. The nematic-isotropic transition temperature, T _NI, and the associated entropy change, ΔS _NI/R, are sensitive to the chemical nature of this link. Specifically, T _NI falls on replacing ether links with methylene links for both odd and even members although this reduction is more pronounced for odd members. In comparison, ΔS _NI/R increases on changing ether links for methylene links for even dimers, but decreases for odd-membered dimers. These observations are completely in accord with the predictions of a model developed by Luckhurst and co-workers in which the difference between the ether-linked and methylenelinked dimers rests exclusively in their shapes. Furthermore, the highly non-linear pentamethylenelinked dimers show a greater tendency to exhibit smectic behaviour; this is interpreted in terms of molecular packing giving rise to an alternating smectic phase.     

Applicability of MNDO techniques AM1 and PM3 to ring-structured polymers

Semiempirical Hartree‐Fock techniques are widely used to study properties of long ring‐structured chains, although these types of systems were not included in the original parametrization ensembles. These techniques are very useful for an ample class of studies, and their predictive power should be tested. We present here a study of the applicability of some techniques from the NDDO family (MNDO, AM1, and PM3) to the calculation of the ground state geometries of a specific set of molecules with the ring‐structure characteristic. For this we have chosen to compare results against ab initio Restricted Hartree‐Fock 6‐31G(d,p) calculations, extended to Møller‐Plesset 2 perturbation theory for special cases. The systems investigated comprise the orthobenzoquinone (O₂C₆H₄) molecule and dimers (O₂C₆H₄)₂, as well as trimers of polyaniline, which present characteristics that extend to several systems of interest in the field of conducting polymers, such as ring structure and heterosubstitution. We focus on the torsion between rings, because this angle is known to affect strongly the electronic and optical properties of conjugated polymers. We find that AM1 is always in qualitative agreement with the ab initio results, and is thus indicated for further studies of longer, more complicated chains. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 1135–1142, 2002     

Optoelectronic Properties of Carbon-Bound Boron Difluoride Hydrazone Dimers

The creation of dimeric boron difluoride complexes of chelating N-donor ligands is a proven strategy for the enhancement of the optoelectronic properties of fluorescent dyes. We report dimers based on the boron difluoride hydrazone (BODIHY) framework, which offer unique and sometimes unexpected substituent-dependent absorption, emission, and electrochemical properties. BODIHY dimers have low-energy absorption bands (λ_max=421 to 479 nm, ϵ=17 200 to 39 900 m ⁻¹ cm⁻¹) that are red-shifted relative to monomeric analogues. THF solutions of these dimers exhibit aggregation-induced emission upon addition of water, with emission enhancement factors ranging from 5 to 18. Thin films of BODIHY dimers are weakly emissive as a result of the inner-filter effect, attributed to intermolecular π-type interactions. BODIHY dimers are redox-active and display two one-electron oxidation and two one-electron reduction waves that strongly depend on the N-aryl substituents. These properties are rationalized using density-functional theory calculations and X-ray crystallography experiments.     

The heavier pnictogen and chalcogen analogues of isocyanic and cyanic acids and their dimers: A high level ab initio study

The CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//CCSD/cc-pVTZ method is used to determine the geometries and energetics of the isomers HXCY vs HY─CX (XN, P, As; YO, S) and their dimers from chain dimerizations and head-to-head or head-to-tail [2 + 2] cyclodimerizations. The HO─CX structures with CX triple bonds lie at energies at least 18.5 kcal/mol above their HXCO isomers. However, the energy differences between the HXCS and HS─CX isomers are found to be particularly small, especially in the [H,P,C,S] and [H,As,C,S] systems. For (HNCY)₂, the lowest energy dimers are the chain isomers, which lie ~11 kcal/mol below the lowest energy cyclic dimers aNO containing a NCNC ring and cNS containing a NCSC ring. Formation of the remaining dimers through dimerization from two monomers is predicted to be endothermic and thus thermodynamically disfavored. However, the energies of the chain isomers in the other (HXCY)₂ (XP, As; YO, S) series are higher than those of the corresponding isomeric lowest energy cyclodimers. For (HXCO)₂ (XP, As), the lowest energy structures are the head-to-head dimers hPO and hAsO containing a C─C─XX ring. For (HXCS)₂ (XP, As), the lowest energy structures are the head-to-head dimers gPS and gAsS with a CCXS ring.     

Oligomeric liquid crystals: From monomers to trimers

A homologous series of linear liquid crystal trimers, the 4,4′-bis[ω-(4-methoxyazobenzene-4′-yloxy)alkoxy]azobenzenes, has been synthesized and characterized. The transitional properties of the trimers are compared with those of the corresponding series of dimers, the α,ω-bis(4-methoxyazobenzene-4′-oxy)alkanes, and monomers, the 4-methoxy-4′-alkoxyazobenzenes. Characteristically pronounced odd-even effects were seen for the transitional properties of both dimers and trimers on varying the spacer lengths. The clearing temperatures of the trimers were higher than those of the corresponding dimers, but as the length of the flexible spacers was increased this difference became rather small. The ratios of T _NI, and ΔS _NI/R for monomer:dimer and dimer:trimer are discussed. These are very similar to reported values for similar materials, suggesting that there may be a rather general relationship between the transitional properties of liquid crystal oligomers as the number of mesogenic units is increased.     

Interactions of Molecules with cis and trans Double Bonds: A Theoretical Study of cis‐ and trans‐2‐Butene

Noncovalent interactions of cis‐ and trans‐2‐butene, as the smallest model systems of molecules with cis and trans double bonds, were studied to find potential differences in interactions of these molecules. The study was performed using quantum chemical methods including very accurate CCSD(T)/CBS method. We studied parallel and displaced parallel interactions in 2‐butene dimers, in butane dimers, and between 2‐butene and saturated butane. The results show the trend that interactions of 2‐butene with butane are the strongest, followed by interactions in butane dimers, whereas the interaction in 2‐butene dimers are the weakest. The strongest calculated interaction energy is between trans‐2‐butene and butane, with a CCSD(T)/CBS energy of ?2.80 kcal mol^?1. Interactions in cis‐2‐butene dimers are stronger than interactions in trans‐2‐butene dimers. Interestingly, some of the interactions involving 2‐butene are as strong as interactions in a benzene dimer. These insights into interactions of cis‐ and trans‐2‐butene can improve understanding of the properties and processes that involve molecules with cis and trans double bonds, such as fatty acids and polymers.     

DFT study of structure–properties correlations in [MnTPP][TCNE] quasi-one-dimensional molecular magnets

We report the first band structure calculations of the quasi-one-dimensional [MnTPP][TCNE] compounds (TPP = meso-tetraphenylporphyrinato, TCNE = tetracyanoethylene), based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods, in order to interpret the magnetic ordering in these prototypic systems. We compare and contrast the results of broken-symmetry DFT calculations for extended systems, with periodic boundary conditions, and for finite systems, magnetic dimers modeling the actual molecular magnets. By varying systematically the main angles, we are able to determine the geometry dependence of the exchange interaction. Structure–properties correlations in these charge-transfer salts reveal the determinant role of the Mn-(N≡C)_TCNE bond angle on the strength of the ferrimagnetic coupling between the S ₁ = 2 spin located on the Mn^III-porphyrin donor and the S ₂ = 1/2 spin positioned on the cyanocarbon acceptor. When the Mn-(N≡C)_TCNE angle is decreased, the intrachain magnetic coupling strengthens, correlated with the increase in the d_z² - p* d_{{z^{2} }} - \pi * orbital overlap. The exchange coupling constants resulting from DFT calculations of extended systems, with periodic boundary conditions, were found to be consistent with those obtained for the dimers, but systematically smaller. The exchange constants vary strongly with the functional used, hybrid functionals such as B3LYP leading to results that better correlate with the experimental mean-field critical temperatures. The coupling constant varies significantly with the type of broken-symmetry approach, depending on the overlap between magnetic orbitals, but weakly on the basis set once polarization effects are included. The electronic structure calculations for the extended systems provide a density of states consistent with the energy spectrum of the corresponding dimer, allowing for an intuitive explanation of the intrachain ferrimagnetic ordering.     

Fluorescence spectra and structure of the difluoro(dibenzoylmethanato)boron monomers and dimers absorbed on silica gel

It has been shown that difluoro(dibenzoylmethanato)boron ((dbm)BF₂) can be absorbed on silica gel in the form of fluorescent monomers and dimers with the emission properties that change in the presence of vapors of volatile organic compounds, such as ethanol, acetone, toluene, and meta-xylene. Fluorescence quenching was observed for the (dbm)BF₂ monomers and dimers in the case of ethanol and acetone, whereas the formation of fluorescent exciplexes with monomers and enhancement of the dimer fluorescence were observed in the case of toluene and meta-xylene. Results of the quantum-chemical calculations of the structure of the (dbm)BF₂ monomer complex with the matrix and toluene and (dbm)BF₂ dimers with matrix are presented.     

Structures and thermodynamic properties of aluminum oxyhalides: a computational study

The molecular geometries and vibrational frequencies of aluminum oxyhalides, AlOX, and their dimers, (AlOX)₂, have been calculated by MP2 and density functional methods. The monomeric molecules are linear while the dimers have a D _2h -symmetry geometry with a four-membered ring, in which the oxygen atoms serve as bridging ligands. Different thermodynamic properties have been calculated; for AlOBr and AlOI for the first time.     

The structures of low molecular weight glycerin propoxylates: An experimental,semi-empirical,and Monte Carlo study

A simple Monte Carlo model has been developed for calculating the structural features and properties of low molecular weight triols produced by the base-catalyzed propoxylation of glycerin. The model computes the probability of a reaction to a specific oligomer from the local site reactivities of model compounds with an adjustment for the molecular weight of the reacting oligomer. The resulting product array is then used to calculate typical polymer properties such as average molecular weight, polydispersity, and average chain length. Trial rate constants were estimated from the activation energies of MNDO-PM3 semi-empirical molecular orbital theory. For the compounds used to model the oligomer chain end groups, the activation enthalpies were found to be within the ranges reported for experimental values. Although the predicted enthalpies of activation were significantly higher for the alkoxylation directly at glycerin, this was found to be attributable to intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the reactants that was disrupted in the transition states. Although the hydrogen bonding energies were higher than what are normally considered typical, comparison tests showed that the calculated energies agreed well with experimental values of alkoxide anion–alcohol systems. The PM3 rate constants, when used to calculate Monte Carlo probabilities, predicted the isomer distribution of the four isomeric monopropoxylates with a error of 4%. Optimization of the model reduced this to 0.5%. However, to accurately predict the oligomer distribution of higher molecular weight adducts and other properties, the correction term (M₀/M_i)^b had to be included, where M₀/M_i is the ratio of the molecular weight of glycerin to the molecular weight of the oligomer undergoing alkoxylation, and b is assigned the value 0.7. Although b is empirical, it is consistent with a simple molecular mechanics (MM2) conformational study of the relative availability of the reactive end groups. When the final model was used to simulate the propoxylation of glycerin for a variety of PO/glycerin ratios, it was found to accurately reproduce properties such as primary hydroxyl content, polydispersity, oligomer distribution, and change in the monopropoxylate isomer ratio as a function of bulk PO/glycerin ratio. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,spectroscopic (FT–IR and UV–Vis), crystallographic and theoretical studies,and a molecular docking simulation of an imatinib‐like template

The aim of the present study was to report the crystal structure and spectroscopic, electronic, supramolecular and electrostatic properties of a new polymorph of 4‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)pyrimidin‐2‐amine (C₉H₈N₄). The compound was synthesized under microwave irradiation. The single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis revealed an angle of 13.36 (8)° between the planes of the rings, as well as molecules linked by Nsp²—H…N hydrogen bonds forming dimers along the crystal. The material was analyzed by FT–IR vibrational spectroscopy, while a computational approach was used to elucidate the vibrational frequency couplings. The existence of Nsp²—H…N hydrogen bonds in the crystal was confirmed spectroscopically by the IR peaks from the N—H stretching vibration shifting to lower wavenumbers in the solid state relative to those in the gas phase. The supramolecular studies confirmed the formation of centrosymmetric R₂²(8) rings, which correspond to the formation of dimers that stack parallel to the b direction. Other weak C—H…π interactions, essential for crystal growth, were found. The UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis showed a donor–acceptor process, where the amino group acts as a donor and the pyridine and pyrimidine rings act as acceptors. The reactive sites of the molecule were identified and their quantitative values were defined using the electrostatic potential model proposed in the multifunctional wave function analyzer multiwfn. The calculated interaction energies between pairs of molecules were used to visualize the electrostatic terms as the leading factors against the dispersion factors in the crystal‐growth process. The docking results showed that the amino group of the pyrimidine moiety was simultaneously anchored by hydrogen‐bonding interactions with the Asp427 and His407 protein residues. This compound could be key for the realization of a series of syntheses of molecules that could be used as possible inhibitors of chronic myelogenous leukemia.     

Mean field analysis of four liquid crystalline odd–even ester dimers

A mean field analysis is presented for four liquid crystalline ester dimers, Dn, containing the dimethylbenzalazine mesogen, alkanedioyloxy flexible spacers from 7 to 10 carbon atoms and acetate terminal groups. The conformations of the dimers, in the RIS approximation, were generated from the known crystallographic coordinates of D8 and D9. The energy of each conformer is split into an internal (conformation dependent) part and an external (orientation dependent) part. After proper averaging over all orientations and conformations, the orientation–conformation partition function is evaluated and, from that, the Helmholtz free energy. A qualitative agreement between calculated and observed thermodynamic properties is obtained. In fact, the theoretical analysis correctly predicts strong odd–even fluctuations for the mesogenic group order parameter, S, as well as for transition entropy, ΔS _NI, and transition temperature, T _NI. The distribution of conformers is similar for dimers having the same parity of the spacer. For even dimers, the calculated fraction of linear extended conformers in the nematic phase at the N–I transition is around 47%, whereas it is less than 3.6% for odd dimers.