Synthesis and Characterization of Achiral Bent‐Core Liquid Crystalline Molecules Containing Salicylaldimine‐Based with a Wide Temperature Range of SmCP Phase

The design and synthesis of a series bent‐core materials base on a 3,4′‐biphenyldiol central core containing salicylaldimine‐based and two terminal tetradecyloxy tails are reported. In addition, the effects of lateral substituents (R = F and Cl) at the biphenyl core into 3′‐position are examined. These substituents have a strong influence in reducing the clearing temperatures and increasing temperature range of SmCP phase. Upon cooling process the isotropic liquid, compound SB‐Cl exhibits the lowest clearing transition temperature of 180°C and the widest SmCP phase range of 129°C. The mesophase behaviour were investigated by polarizing optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and electro‐optical (EO) measurements in the mesophase temperature range.     

Hierarchical Superstructures with Control of Helicity from the Self‐Assembly of Chiral Bent‐Core Molecules

Herein, two asymmetric chiral bent‐core molecules, 3‐[(4‐{[4‐(heptyloxy)benzoyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy]‐phenyl‐4‐[(4‐{[(1R)‐1‐methylheptyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy] benzoate (BC7R) and 3‐[(4‐{[4‐(heptyloxy)benzoyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy]‐phenyl‐4‐[(4‐{[(1S)‐1‐methylheptyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy] benzoate (BC7S), were synthesized to demonstrate control of the helicity of their self‐assembled hierarchical superstructures. Mirror‐imaged CD spectra showed a split‐type Cotton effect after the formation of self‐assembled aggregates of BC7R and BC7S, thereby suggesting the formation of intermolecular exciton couplets with opposite optical activities. Both twisted and helical ribbons with preferential helicity that corresponded to the twisting character of the intermolecular exciton couplet were found in the aggregates. The formation of helical ribbons was attributed to the merging of twisted ribbons through an increase in width to improve morphological stability. As a result, control of the helicity of hierarchical superstructures from the self‐assembly of bent‐core molecules could be achieved by taking advantage of the transfer of chiral information from the molecular level onto the hierarchical scale.     

Carbogenic Nanodots: Photoluminescence and Room‐Temperature Ferromagnetism

Herein, blue fluorescent carbogenic nanodots (CNDs) with room‐temperature ferromagnetism were synthesized by thermal decomposition of organic precursors at different temperatures. Photoluminescence (PL) studies show excitation‐wavelength‐dependent emission properties and PL excitation (PLE) studies confirm the triplet ground state of carbene at the zigzag edge as the fluorescent center. Room‐temperature magnetic studies reveal the ferromagnetic nature of CNDs and temperature‐dependent studies show the presence of an antiferromagnetic phase along with a ferromagnetic phase below 50 K. EPR studies reveal the presence of conduction electrons and localized spins with different g factors. Localized spins at zigzag edges are the origin of the unconventional magnetic behavior, whereas exchange coupling between conduction and localized spins are responsible for long‐range magnetic ordering.     

From Sponges to Nanotubes: A Change of Nanocrystal Morphology for Acute‐Angle Bent‐Core Molecules

The crystalline (B₄) phase made of acute‐angle bent‐core molecules (1,7‐naphthalene derivatives), which exhibits an unusual, highly porous sponge‐like morphology, is presented. However, if grown in the presence of low‐weight mesogenic molecules, the same crystal forms nanotubes with a very high aspect ratio. The nanotubes become unstable upon increasing the amount of dopant molecules, and the sponge‐like morphology reappears. The phase is optically active, and the optical activity is an order of magnitude smaller than in the B₄ phase made of conventional bent‐core molecules. The optical activity is related to the spatial inhomogeneity of the layered structure and is reduced due to the low apex angle and low tilt of the molecules. The arrangement of molecules within the layers was deduced from the bathochromic absorption shift in the B₄ phase.     

Liquid Crystalline Behaviours of the Complexes Based on 1,3,4‐Oxadiazole Derivative and Benzoic Acid

A non‐liquid crystal compound (4‐POXD‐6) containing the 1,3,4‐oxadiazole group and pyridyl (py) group was synthesized. And a series of supramolecular mesogenic complexes were obtained by mixing 4‐POXD‐6 and 4‐alkoxybenzoic acids (Cn, n=6, 8, 12). The liquid crystalline properties of 4‐POXD‐6/Cn (n=6, 8, 12) were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. It was found that 4‐POXD‐6/Cn (6, 8) display monotropic nematic and smectic A phases, while 4‐POXD‐6/C12 exhibits a SmX phase in the heating process and a SmA phase in the cooling run. Variable‐temperature FTIR spectroscopic studies revealed hydrogen bonds existed in both crystalline and liquid crystalline phases.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Planar Five‐Ring‐Fused Dithiophene‐dione

A series of new organic semiconductors based on s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′]dithiophene‐4,9‐dione was successfully synthesized and characterized. The electron withdrawing carbonyl group lowers the LUMO energy levels, leading to increased electronegativities, which is beneficial for high photo‐stability in air. The n‐alkyl substituted compounds, 1c and 1d , crystallize with the rigid coplanar systems packed into slipped face‐to‐face π‐stacks. Interestingly, 1c and 1d also show liquid crystalline behaviors, which give highly ordered molecular packing over large area.     

基于2,4′-二羧基二苯甲酮构筑的具有一维梯状链和一维隧道的三维超分子体系

采用水热法设计合成了两个新型三维超分子化合物H₂L·H₂O (1)和[Ag(bpy)₂]·HL·H₂O (2) (其中bpy=2,2'-联吡啶, H₂L=2,4′-二羧基二苯甲酮),晶体结构分析表明,它们均是通过氢键采用不同的连接方式拓展而成。其中,化合物1 是2,4′-二羧基二苯甲酮和水分子通过O–H···O氢键形成的一维梯状链扩展构筑的三维超分子体系;化合物2 则是2,4′-二羧基二苯甲酮和水分子通过两种氢键形成含有一维隧道的三维超分子体系。有趣的是,[Ag(bpy)₂]⁺ 阳离子通过π–π 堆积和弱的Ag···Ag相互作用连在一起,进而以客体形式填充其中。荧光性质研究表明,由于存在bpy的螯合与堆积效应,化合物2相比配体和化合物1,其荧光发射峰发生红移。     

Electron‐Deficient Triborane and Tetraborane Ring Compounds: Synthesis,Structure, and Bonding

Electron‐deficient small boron rings are unique in their formation of σ‐ and π‐delocalized electron systems as well as the avoidance of “classical” structures with two‐center‐two‐electron (2c,2e) bonds. These rings are tolerant of several skeletal electron numbers, which makes their redox chemistry highly interesting. In the past few decades, a range of stable compounds have been synthesized with various electron numbers in their B₃ and B₄ cores. The electronic structures were evaluated by quantum‐chemical calculations. On the other hand, the chemistry of these rings is still very much underdeveloped, being generally limited to the protonation and redox reactions of individual systems. The linkage of several B₃ and/or B₄ ring systems should give compounds with attractive electronic properties, thus leading the way to novel boron‐based materials. By summarizing important experimental and theoretical results, this Review intends to provide the basis for the exploration of the chemistry of these rings and, in particular, their integration into larger molecular architectures.     

A Versatile Room‐Temperature Route to Di‐ and Trisubstituted Allenes Using Flow‐Generated Diazo Compounds

A copper‐catalyzed coupling reaction between flow‐generated unstabilized diazo compounds and terminal alkynes provides di‐ and trisubstituted allenes. This extremely mild and rapid transformation is highly tolerant of several functional groups.     

Synthesis,structural characterization and luminescence properties of 1‐carboxymethyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium chloride

A microcrystalline carboxyl‐functionalized imidazolium chloride, namely 1‐carboxymethyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium chloride, C₇H₁₁N₂O₂⁺·Cl⁻, has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (ATR‐FT‐IR), single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TGA/DSC), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. In the crystal structure, cations and anions are linked by C—H…Cl and C—H…O hydrogen bonds to create a helix along the [010] direction. Adjacent helical chains are further interconnected through O—H…Cl and C—H…O hydrogen bonds to form a (10) layer. Finally, neighboring layers are joined together via C—H…Cl contacts to generate a three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture. Thermal analyses reveal that the compound melts at 449.7 K and is stable up to 560.0 K under a dynamic air atmosphere. Photoluminescence measurements show that the compound exhibits a blue fluorescence and a green phosphorescence associated with spin‐allowed (¹π←¹π*) and spin‐forbidden (¹π←³π*) transitions, respectively. The average luminescence lifetime was determined to be 1.40 ns for the short‐lived (¹π←¹π*) transition and 105 ms for the long‐lived (¹π←³π*) transition.     

Synthesis and Second‐Order Nonlinearities of Chiral Prolinol‐Substituted Chromophores

A new series of thiophene‐ and furan‐containing chromophores with a chiral prolinol donor and a sulfone acceptor has been synthesized. The UV‐vis absorptions, second‐order nonlinear optical properties, and X‐ray crystal structures are described.     

Helical Nano‐crystallite (HNC) Phases: Chirality Synchronization of Achiral Bent‐Core Mesogens in a New Type of Dark Conglomerates

Spontaneous generation of macroscopic homochirality in soft matter systems by self‐assembly of exclusively achiral molecules under achiral conditions is a challenging task with relevance for fundamental scientific research and technological applications. Dark conglomerate phases (DC phases), being optically isotropic mesophases composed of conglomerates of macroscopic chiral domains and formed by some non‐chiral bent‐core mesogens, represent such a case. Here we report two new series of non‐symmetric bent‐core molecules capable of forming a new type of mirror symmetry broken DC phases. In the synthesized molecules, a bent 4‐bromoresorcinol core is connected to a phenyl benzoate wing and an azobenzene wing with or without additional peripheral fluorine substitution. The self‐assembly was investigated by DSC, polarizing microscopy, electro‐optical studies and XRD. Chiral and apparently achiral DC phases were observed besides distinct types of lamellar liquid crystalline phases with different degree of polar order, allowing the investigation of the transition from smectic to DC phases. This indicates a process in which increased packing density at first gives rise to restricted rotation and thus to growing polar order, which then leads to chirality synchronization, layer frustration and nano‐scale crystallization. Topological constraints arising from the twisted packing of helical conformers in lamellar crystals is proposed to lead to amorphous solids composed of helical nano‐crystallites with short coherence length (HNC phases). This is considered as a third major type of DC phases, distinct from the previously known liquid crystalline sponge phases and the helical nano‐filament phases (HNF phases). Guidelines for the molecular design of new materials capable of self‐assembly into these three types of DC phases are proposed.     

Synthesis and Characterization of β‐Diketiminate Aluminum Compounds and Their Use in the Ring‐Opening Polymerization of ε‐Caprolactone

Four aluminum alkyl compounds, [CH{(CH₃)CN‐2,4,6‐MeC₆H₂}₂AlMe₂] ( 1 ), [CH{(CH₃)CN‐2,4,6‐MeC₆H₂}₂AlEt₂] ( 2 ), [CH{(CH₃)CN‐2‐iPrC₆H₄}₂AlMe₂] ( 3 ), and [CH{(CH₃)CN‐2‐iPrC₆H₄}₂AlEt₂] ( 4 ), bearing β‐diketiminate ligands [CH{(Me)CN‐2,4,6‐MeC₆H₂}]₂ (L¹H) and [CH{(Me)CN‐2‐ⁱPrC₆H₄}]₂ (L²H) were obtained from the reactions of trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum with the corresponding β‐diketiminate, respectively. All compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, single‐crystal X‐ray structural analysis, and elemental analysis. Compounds 1 – 4 were found to catalyze the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) with good activity.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Pyrene‐Centered Starburst Oligofluorenes

A series of starburst materials ( T1 – T3 ) based on a pyrene core with four oligofluorene arms of different length have been synthesized and characterized. The starburst materials show good film forming ability and sky blue fluorescence. Electroluminescent devices take on a stable blue emission and the device performance increases with an increase in arm length. The single‐layered device made of T3 has a maximum brightness of over 2 700 cd · m⁻² and a maximum current efficiency of 1.75 cd · A⁻¹, which is among the best in starburst material devices. The morphology of T1 – T3 has been studied by atomic force microscopy. The starburst oligofluorenes with different arm lengths show a distinctive texture, which indicates the size dependent morphology of the starburst materials.

     

Facile Synthesis and Systematic Investigations of a Series of Novel Bent‐Shaped Two‐Photon Absorption Chromophores Based on Pyrimidine

Mark us bent! The synthesis, structure, and single‐ and two‐photon spectroscopic properties of a series of pyrimidine‐based (bent‐shaped) molecules are reported. These allow structure‐property relationships and guidelines for both the development and application of TPA compounds to be derived.

     

Synthesis of Certain Benzoheterocyclic Compounds from 2‐Hydroxyacetophenone via Cyclization and Ring‐closing Metathesis

Synthesis of some benzoheterocyclic compounds like substituted benzofurans, 4‐methyl‐2H‐chromenes and 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]oxepin‐5‐ones from 2‐hydroxyacetophenone via base induced cyclization and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) is described.     

The Estimation of Statistical Parameters Determining the Relaxation Times of Nematic Elastomers: A Three‐Chain Network Model

A simplified “three‐chain” network model formed from freely jointed polymer chains consisting of Gaussian elements with fixed mean‐square lengths is proposed for describing local dynamic properties of nematic elastomers. The boundaries of a polymer network are supposed to be fixed when sample volume and shape do not change with ordering. Relaxation times characterising intrachain motions in both isotropic and ordered states are determined by two factors. The first (“dynamic”) factor is related to the friction of chain elements and the second one (“statistical” factor) is determined by statistical mean–square fluctuations of segment projections on the three axes of rectangular frame of reference. The “statistical” factor of relaxation times is calculated here as a function of the order parameter and the parameter characterising the degree of network crosslinking. Statistical factor obtained in the framework of a network model consisting of Gaussian subchains is compared with that calculated here by using freely‐jointed‐rods chain model. Good agreement is shown between statistical factors obtained in the framework of the two chain models considered. This result confirms the validity of describing the dynamics of real rod‐like mesogenic groups in nematic elastomers in terms of a simplified chain model consisting of Gaussian segments with fixed average lengths which do not change with ordering. The influence of “dynamic” factor on the relaxation spectrum of a nematic elastomer is discussed qualitatively.     

Synthesis of New Tetrazole Derivatives of Spiro‐ and Bis‐barbiturates

This work described the synthesis of the first and unprecedented examples of 5‐aryl‐1H‐tetrazoles including spiro‐ and bis‐(thio)barbiturates, generated from the reaction between 4‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)benzaldehyde with (thio)barbituric acids and cyanogen bromide (BrCN) in the presence of triethylamine, providing good overall yields. Tetrazoles based on bis‐(thio) barbiturates were also obtained in the absence of BrCN under the same conditions. The structures were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, X‐ray crystallography and mass analysis techniques. The reaction mechanism was proposed. The hydrogen bond strength (E_HB) versus d (O1?????O7 (w)) distance (kcal.mol^?1) and corresponding pKa value for the proton of H_3A (in water molecule) in 4b.H₂O were estimated to be 13.8 kcal.mol^?1 and 8.2, respectively.