Mesomorphic properties of copolyesters of 3,6-linked triphenylene-based units and polymethylene spacers

Main chain discotic liquid crystalline polymers consisting of triphenylene-based units and alkyl spacers (C8, C10 and C12), connected by ester linkages in the 3- and 6-positions of triphenylene, have been synthesized and their mesomorphic properties were studied by DSC, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that these polymers exhibit a hexagonal columnar (Col_h) mesophase with intracolumnar order over a wide temperature range. The clearing temperature decreases on increasing the spacer length. It was found that the clearing temperatures are rather higher than that of the corresponding triphenylene monomer having six hexyloxy chains. These polymers form an ordered columnar mesophase, while the corresponding monomeric mesogen shows a disordered columnar phase. In the polymeric system, the fluctuations of the disc-like units in the mesophase are restricted by the connection of the mesogenic units, which stabilizes the columnar mesophase.     

Main chain thermotropic copolyesters containing imino group linked mesogenic units and polymethylene spacers

Three new series of main chain liquid crystalline polyesters consisting of arómatic-type Schiff base mesogenic units and polymethylene spacers were synthesized and their thermal transitions and liquid crystalline properties were studied. All three series exhibited an even-odd effect in melting and isotropization temperatures. They formed nematic mesophases in melts as judged by their optical textures observed through a polarizing microscope and by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Interfacial dilational properties of anionic gemini surfactants with polymethylene spacers

The dilational properties of anionic gemini surfactants alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(m-octylphenoxy sulfonate) (C₈C_mC₈) with polymethylene spacers at the water–air and water–decane interfaces were investigated by oscillating barriers and interfacial tension relaxation methods. The influences of oscillating frequency and bulk concentration on the dilational properties were explored. The experimental results show that the linking spacer plays an important role in the interfacial dilational properties. The moduli pass through one maximum for all three gemini surfactants at both water–air and water–decane interfaces. However, the values of moduli at the water–air interface are obviously higher than those at the water–decane interface because the sublayer formed by spacer chains will be destroyed by the insertion of oil molecules. Moreover, with the increase of spacer length, the surface adsorption film becomes more viscous at high concentration, which can be attributed to the process involving the formation of the sublayer. On the other hand, the spacers of the adsorbed C₈C₆C₈ molecules will extend into the oil phase when the interface is compressed. As a result, the interfacial film becomes more elastic with the increase of spacer length at high concentration. The experimental results obtained by the interfacial tension relaxation measurements are in accord with those obtained by the oscillating barriers method.     

Mesomorphic properties of linear and branched new triphenylene-based poly(ester-ether)s

A series of main chain discotic liquid crystal polymers, synthesized following a new approach based on the incorporation of triphenylene units in both comonomers, show ordered columnar mesophases in a very wide thermal range, including room temperature. The introduction of branching points based on the same kind of triphenylene units increases their thermal range and gives rise to glassy low-temperature phases. Room temperature extrusion of these polymers yields fibers with molecules oriented perpendicular to the mechanical stress, and an orientational order parameter close to 0.5, which slightly increases for branched polymers.     

Thermotropic copolyesters having ordered comonomer sequences and flexible spacers

A series of new copolyesters having ordered comonomer sequences were synthesized via multistep routes and their properties such as glass transition (T_g) and melting temperatures (T_m), crystallization tendency, and mesomorphic properties were compared with those of the corresponding random copolyesters. All of the present copolyesters contain 1,8-octamethylene or 1,10-decamethylene spacers and hydroquinone (HQ) and terephthalic acid (TPA) moieties. In general, both melting and clearing temperatures of the ordered sequence copolyesters were much higher than those of the random counterparts. Crystallization tendency, however, was comparable. All of the present copolyesters are thermotropic and form nematic phase in melts. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and optical properties of triphenylene-based conjugated dendrons

Conjugated dendrons based on triphenylene building blocks have been synthesized. Such dendrons exhibit broader absorption wavelength range and higher absorption coefficients than their phenyl analogs. They also possess extended excited state lifetimes and high fluorescence quantum yields in dilute solutions. In the solid state, these dendrons are highly aggregated, resulting in significantly broadened and red-shifted emissions, whose decay transients depend strongly on the detection wavelength.     

Synthesis and liquid-crystalline properties of thermotropic polyamides containing flexible rodlike units and aliphatic spacers

New polyamides with high molecular weights consisting of flexible rod-like mesogenic units (4,4'-diphenyl and 3,4'-diphenyl moieties having bent linkages in the central parts) and aliphatic spacers were synthesized and the thermotropic liquid-crystalline properties were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry, texture observations by polarizing microscopy, miscibility tests and X-ray analysis suggested that the polymers showed well-defined thermotropic smectic mesophases. The polyamides containing 4,4'-diphenyl moieties had higher transition temperatures and formed more stable liquid-crystalline phases than the polyamide composed of the 3,4'-diphenyl unit with a kinked bond.     

Proximity effects on the phosphorescent properties of dinuclear salicylaldiminato cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes linked with polymethylene spacers

Transition Metal Chemistry - The synthesis, structure and photophysical properties of dinuclear bis(phenylpyridine)(salicylaldiminato)Ir(III) complexes bearing polymethylene linkers are described...     

Thermotropic and hydration studies of membranes formed from gemini pseudoglyceryl lipids possessing polymethylene spacers

Membrane formation from gemini pseudoglyceryl lipids bearing n-C14H29 and n-C16H33 chains has been reported. These lipid aggregates have been characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), high sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Paldan fluorescence studies. The length of the spacer between the cationic ammonium headgroups has been varied from -(CH2)3- (propandiyl) to -(CH2)12- (dodecandiyl) in these lipids. All gemini lipids were found to generate stable suspensions in aqueous media. Electron microscopic studies revealed the smaller size of the gemini lipid aggregates as compared to their monomeric lipid counterparts. DLS measurements showed that the gemini lipid suspensions with a -(CH2)8- spacer length were bigger in size than that of other analogues. DSC studies suggest the unusual behavior of the gemini lipids bearing -(CH2)3- propanediyl spacer based lipids. These observations were consistent irrespective of the hydrocarbon chain lengths of the lipids. Paldan fluorescence based hydration studies showed that the hexadecyl chain based gemini lipid aggregates bearing a -(CH2)12- spacer were the most hydrated in their gel states among all the gemini lipid series investigated herein.     

Liquid crystalline properties of a series of thermotropic copolyesters containing both mesogenic and nonmesogenic units

A series of copolymers containing triad ester mesogenic units, with pendent n-octyl substituents, and triad ester nonmesogenic units, both with flexible spacer groups, was prepared and characterized for the effect of the nonmesogenic unit content on transition temperatures and thermodynamic parameters. The mesophase temperature range increased, but temperature, enthalpy, and entropy of isotropization decreased in a linear manner with increasing nonmesogen comonomer content. The entropy of isotropization is considered to be a quantitative measure of the degree of order of the nematic phase, but this order may include both the amount and the order parameter of the mesophase if, as proposed, both the isotropic and nematic phase exist below the isotropization temperatures of the copolymers.     

Unusual emission properties of a triphenylene-based organogel system

We have found that compound 1 forms organogels in appropriate organic solvents and the resultant gel phase exhibits unusual emission properties arising from the excimer formation.     

Synthesis of 3,5- and 3,6-linked calix[n]naphthalenes

The preparation of calix[n]naphthalenes from derivatives of 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene is described. 1,8-Dialkyl substitution is used to direct the regiochemistry of the acid-catalyzed condensation reactions. Acyclic peri substituents lead to a 3,5-linked calix[3]naphthalene, whereas cyclic peri substituents give predominantly a calix[5]naphthalene with the corresponding 3,6-linkage. The 3,6-linked calix[4]naphthalene is prepared in pure form by a dimerization strategy.     

Mesomorphic properties of some 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octa-alkoxymethylphthalocyanines

Abstract

The mesophase behaviour of a number of non-peripherally octa-substituted phthalocyanine derivatives has been studied by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction. A homologous series of straight chain alkoxymethyl derivatives has exhibited both rectangular and hexagonal columnar mesophases, with the rectangular phases being favoured by the shorter chains. Two branched chain derivatives were found to give rectangular columnar phases at room temperature. A detailed analysis of the X-ray data has shown some differences from the analogous n-alkyl compounds. It has been deduced that the increased polarizability and flexibility of the ether linkage allows the disc-like molecules to approach more closely face to face with correspondingly thicker columns.     

Mesomorphic properties of achiral halogen-substituted banana-shaped compounds

Three banana-shaped achiral compounds, derivatives of 4,6-dichloro-1,3-phenylene bis-[4-(4- n -octyloxyphenyliminomethyl) benzoate], were synthesized by varying the substituent ( X =H, F and Cl). Their mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray analysis. The compound with X = H exhibited an enantiomeric nematic phase. The compounds with X = F and Cl formed a nematic phase on heating, while on cooling they formed a nematic phase at high temperature and a smectic A phase at a lower temperature (monotropic). A schematic representation of the mesophase structures for the compound with X = F is also illustrated.     

Mesomorphic properties of side-chain cholesteric liquid-crystalline elastomers

New monomer cholesteryl 4-(10-undecylen-1-yloxybenzoyloxy)-4′-ethoxybenzoate (M₁), crosslinking agent biphenyl 4,4′-bis(10-undecylen-1-yloxybenzoyloxy-p-ethoxybenzoate) (M₂) and a series of side-chain cholesteric elastomers were prepared. The chemical structures of the monomers and elastomers obtained were confirmed by element analyses, FT-IR, and ¹H NMR. The mesomorphic properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements. The influence of the content of the crosslinking unit on the phase behavior of the elastomers was examined. M ₁ showed cholesteric phase, and M ₂ displayed nematic phase. The elastomers containing less than 12 mol% of the crosslinking units revealed reversible mesomorphic phase transition, wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability.     

Partially selective methanolysis of sebacic units in biodegradable multicomponent copolyesters

The composition and molar masses of equimolar multicomponent copolyesters, obtained from 1,4-butandiol and mixtures of succinic, adipic, sebacic, and terephthalic acids were characterized by ¹³C NMR, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS), and viscosimetry. These copolyesters were subjected to partial methanolysis, and the composition and sequence of the oligomers obtained in the methanolysis were determined by the analysis of their fast atom bombardment (FAB-MS) mass spectra. The comparison of the composition data obtained by FAB-MS and ¹³C NMR indicates that for copolymers containing sebacic units the methanolysis is a partially selective process, and that oligomers containing sebacic units accumulate in the residue.     

Mesomorphic properties of achiral halogen-substituted banana-shaped compounds

Three banana-shaped achiral compounds, derivatives of 4,6-dichloro-1,3-phenylene bis-[4-(4-n-octyloxyphenyliminomethyl) benzoate], were synthesized by varying the substituent (X = H, F and Cl). Their mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray analysis. The compound with X = H exhibited an enantiomeric nematic phase. The compounds with X = F and Cl formed a nematic phase on heating, while on cooling they formed a nematic phase at high temperature and a smectic A phase at a lower temperature (monotropic). A schematic representation of the mesophase structures for the compound with X = F is also illustrated.     

Thermotropic liquid-crystalline copolyesters containing substituted phenylene terephthalate and ethylene terephthalate units

Three series of aromatic, thermotropic copolyesters, based on terephthalic acid (TA), ethylene glycol (EG), and another diol were prepared. The third monomer was selected from three different hydroquinones including, ethoxyhydroquinone (EHQ), phenylhydroquinone (PHQ), and hydroquinone itself (HQ). The amounts of the different hydroquinone terephthalate units were varied while the amounts of ethylene terephthalate units remained constant. The copolymers and terpolymers were characterized for solubility, for morphology by polarized light microscopy (PLM), for molecular weight by solution viscometry, and by NMR, DSC, and TGA. At elevated temperatures all samples, when observed by PLM, displayed the characteristic texture of a nematic phase. The melting transition temperatures, T_m, were found to vary from 255 to 325°C, while the 5 wt % loss temperatures, T_d, were found to vary from 330 to 440°C. The inherent viscosities varied from 0.6 to 1.9 dL/g. Increases in the HQ monomer content caused a decreased solubility and an increase in melting point. Copolymer compositions determined by NMR showed that only about one-half of the EG added was incorporated into the copolymers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and optical properties of triphenylene-based dendritic donor perylene diimide acceptor systems

A donor-acceptor charge transfer system based on two discotic mesogens has been synthesized. The donor is either a triphenylene (POG0) or a triphenylene-based conjugated dendron (POG1), while the acceptor is a perylene diimide (PDI) core. The donors are covalently linked to the bay positions of the PDI core through an ether linkage. In chloroform, due to the short donor-acceptor distance and the matching frontier orbital levels, photoinduced charge transfer from either the donor excitation or the acceptor excitation are both thermodynamically and kinetically favored, resulting in efficient quenching of both donor and acceptor fluorescence. In a less polar solvent, hexane, while charge transfer is still the dominant mechanism for decay of the excited electronic state of POG1, photoinduced charge transfer is no longer energetically favorable for POG0 when the acceptor PDI core is excited, making the PDI core of POG0 weakly fluorescent in chloroform but strongly so in hexane. In solid film, POG0 is highly aggregated through both PDI-PDI and triphenylene-triphenylene homotopic stacking. POG1, on the other hand, aggregates through triphenylene dendrons with limited PDI-PDI core stacking, presumably due to the steric hindrance caused by bulky triphenylene moieties which block the access to the PDI core. The efficient photoinduced charge transfer, coupled with the homotopic stacking that forms separated electron-transporting PDI-stacked columns and hole transporting triphenylene-stacked columns, suggests that the reported donor-acceptor systems based on dual-discotic mesogens are potentially new efficient photovoltaic materials.     

Sequentially ordered,thermotropic aromatic copolyesters: Synthesis and comparison of their properties with random copolyesters

Synthetic methods of aromatic copolyesters having ordered comonomer sequence are described. In order to obtain a regular sequence copolyester, one first has to prepare a dimeric or trimeric compound with a predesigned sequence via a multistep route and then polycondense it with another difunctional compound. Low reaction temperature is required to avoid the occurrence of undesired interchange reactions that would lead to randomization of the comonomer sequence. Sequentially ordered copolyesters exhibit significant differences in thermal transitions, crystalline properties, and occasionally even in liquid crystallinity when compared with the properties of the corresponding random copolyesters. According to the preliminary results randomization in comonomer sequence of sequentially regular aromatic copolyesters above their melting points is rather rapid.