Proton magnetic relaxation study of pretransitional phenomena in the isotropic phase of a nematic liquid crystal II. Presence of inner magnetic field gradients as revealed by self-diffusion study

Above the clearing point of a nematic LC self-diffusion was studied by the Hahn pulse sequence (90-t-180) in the presence of a weak (up to 4 Gs cm^-1) permanent external magnetic field gradient G = ?H/?z. The non-linearity of spin-echo decays was interpreted as a result of the inner magnetic field gradient Gamma, indicating the magnetically non-homogeneous nature of the pretransitional zone of the LC. The pretransitional zone was considered to be biphasic (locally ordered clusters ? isotropic surrounding). Due to the orientation of clusters in the magnetic field and the anisotropy of the diamagnetic susceptibility of their molecules, the diamagnetic susceptibility of clusters in the z direction should be different from that of their disordered surroundings. Therefore, clusters behave as specific filled particles, their diamagnetic response in the presence of G being different from that of their isotropic surroundings, i.e. clusters can experience a translational motion in the external field gradient. This leads to the peculiar diamagnetic separation in space, accompanied by an increase of the field gradient. The inner field gradient was shown to be proportional to G²t³ and to decrease with temperature.     

A room-temperature heptazine core discotic liquid crystal

Heptazine is the fundamental structural and functional unit of graphitic carbon nitrides and has a π-conjugated planar symmetry with semiconducting properties. Molecular self-assembly is one of the key factors to drive the electronic behaviour of π-conjugated organic molecules. To enhance the semiconductivity, heptazine is decorated at its active sites with 2,3,5-tris(dodecyloxy)aniline to get well-organised columnar packing. A novel heptazine-core room-temperature discotic liquid crystal (HDLC) with hexagonal columnar geometry is discovered. The molecular structure and mesomorphic properties of HDLC are investigated by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, IR, polarised optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Photophysical and electrochemical properties of HDLC are studied by UV–vis/fluorescence spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. The energy band gap of HDLC estimated from CV at room temperature is 1.63 eV, which is much narrower than the previously reported band gap for heptazine derivatives. This decrease in the energy band can be attributed to the particular designing of HDLC for columnar packing. As a columnar liquid crystal providing a smooth path to the charge transport, HDLC with such a narrow energy band gap may find applications in organic electronics.     

有玻璃态和液晶态的胆甾烯基苯并菲的合成及介晶性

将盘状液晶基元苯并菲与手性向列型液晶基元胆甾烯基结合的化合物, 可望出现全新的性质. 合成了含有胆甾烯基的苯并菲化合物C₁₈H₆(OC₅H₁₁)₅(OC₅H₁₀COOCh) (2), 2,7-C₁₈H₆(OC₅H₁₁)₄(OC₅H₁₀COOCh)₂ (4), C₁₈H₆(OR)₃(OC_nH_{2nCOO- Ch)3 (R＝C5H11, C7H15, C9H19, C11H23, n＝1, 5, 10) (6a～6f), C18H6(OC5H10COOCh)6 (Ch: cholesteryl) (8). 偏光显微镜和差示扫描量热法对这些化合物的热致介晶性研究结果显示, 化合物 4, 6a～6e具有手性盘状向列相和玻璃态, 8呈现近晶B相(SB)和玻璃态. 随间隔基长度n和烷基链R碳原子数的增加, 化合物玻璃化温度和清亮点呈下降趋势. 随着胆甾烯基数目减少, 化合物的玻璃化温度和清亮点降低.}     

Triphenylene-based discotic liquid crystals: recent advances

Since the early work of Chandrasekhar and his co-workers on hexaesters of benzene published in 1977, discotic liquid crystals (DLCs), in particular, triphenylene-based DLC materials have been investigated intensively, especially over the last decade. The first successful commercialisation of triphenylene-based DLCs has been accomplished in Fuji ‘Wide-View’ optical compensation films. DLCs represent a broad well understood class of soft matter which possess the ability to self-organise into highly anisotropic and ordered structures such as columns that function not only as organic anisotropic semiconductors, but also contribute to the development of new smart materials in the field of organic electronics for many device applications such as photovoltaic devices, light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, memory elements, and sensors. Over the last 35 years, more than 1000 triphenylene derivatives have been synthesised and investigated starting from structure-properties to structure-device performance relationships. The very first review by Cammidge and Bushby followed by Kumar summarised the chemistry and physical properties of triphenylene-based discotics up to 2003. In this review, progress in the research of triphenylene DLC materials since 2004 is comprehensively outlined.     

密度泛函理论研究边链对苯并菲电荷传输的影响

采用密度泛函理论在B3LYP/6-31G**水平上,根据电子转移的半经典模型对含有炔基的不同软链的苯并菲化合物分子的电荷传输性质进行研究。研究表明,所有目标化合物均有利于苯并菲的电荷传输。其中,直接在苯并菲刚性环上引入酰胺基（-CO-NH-）有利于提高正电荷的传输,而间隔基为酯基的单取代化合物的正负电荷传输性质均比较良好。在苯并菲上单取代的分子明显比其双取代、三取代的分子正电荷传输性质好。     

High birefringent reactive discotic liquid crystals based on asymmetrical triphenylene with phenyl-acetylene moieties

Triphenylene (TP)-based liquid crystals, a category of discotic liquid crystals (DLCs), are easy to synthesise, thermally stable and can undergo self-assembly. A new DLC compound, 2,7,10-tris[4-(6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy)benzoate]-3,6,11-tris[(4-hexylphenyl)ethynyl]-triphenylene, was obtained with a 49% yield using catechol as a starting material and features acetylene groups on its TP core. This material can form films with high birefringence through its cross-linkable acrylate ends. Here, we synthesised this new compound and characterised it using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The thermal behaviour was also investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and polarised optical microscopy. This new asymmetric TP-based DLC compound exhibited a nematic liquid-crystalline phase between ?20 and 170°C and formed an optical anisotropic film with a high birefringence (Δn = 0.21–0.25).     

Optical properties of a mesogen by image analysis

An image analysis technique in conjunction with polarising optical microscopy (POM) is proposed for assessment of the thermo-optical properties of homogeneously aligned chiral ester liquid crystals of the type ((S)-(-)-2-methylbutyl 4′-(4″-n-alkanoyloxybenzoyloxy) biphenyl-4-carboxylates, where n?=?16 or 18. Chiral ester textures are recorded as a function of temperature using POM provided with a hot-stage and a high-resolution colour camera. Temperature-dependent optical parameters, or thermo-optical properties such as optical transmission, degree of polarisation, absorption coefficient and birefringence are computed for chiral esters by analysing the texture of samples using MATLAB software. This is a simple experimental technique for observing how the optical parameters of liquid crystals change with temperature.     

Synthesis and mesomorphism of diacetylene-bridged triphenylene discotic liquid crystal dimers

Connecting two discotic mesogens via a spacer not only stabilizes the columnar mesophase but also leads to the formation of glass columnar phase, and therefore improves the physical properties of discotic liquid crystals as organic semiconductor. Here, we report the synthesis of eight diacetylene-bridged triphenylene discotic liquid crystal dimers, [C18H6(OCnH2n+1)4(OMe)O2C-C8H16-C≡≡ C-]2, 3(n), (n = 4-8), [C18H6(OC6H13)5O2C-C8H16-C≡≡ C-]2, 6 and [C18H6(OC6H13)5O-(CH2)m-C≡≡ C-]2, 8(m), (m = 1, 3) by Eglinto...     

A convenient synthesis method of 3,6-dihydroxy-2,7,10,11-tetrapentyloxytriphenylene from 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl with high yield

A convenient method for preparing of 3,6-dihydroxy-2,7,10,11-tetrapentyloxytriphenylene was developed recently. The synthesis started from 4,4’-dihydroxybiphenyl and 3,6-dihydroxy-2,7,10,11-tetrapentyloxytriphenylene was synthesised in five mild reaction steps. In this method, very high temperature and rigorous processing conditions of Ullmann coupling in conventional methods can be avoided. Total reaction yield in our newly developed approach reached up to 24.7%, which is twice than that obtained in earlier reports.     

苯丙炔酸和苯丙烯酸酯苯并菲盘状液晶电荷传输的理论研究

电荷传输是有机材料的重要性质之一．根据电子转移的半经典模型对含苯丙炔酸和苯丙烯酸酯支链的苯并菲盘状液晶化合物分子的电荷传输性质进行理论研究．研究结果表明,所计算的三个苯并菲衍生物分子均具有高的电荷传输性能．标题化合物分子的负电荷传输速率均比苯并菲大,含苯丙烯酸酯链的苯并菲分子比含苯丙炔酸酯链的苯并菲分子具有较大的空穴传输速率及较小的负电荷传输速率．对于含苯丙烯酸酯链的苯并菲分子,链烷氧基越长,正电荷传输速率越大,负电荷传输速率越小．     

Theoretical study on the charge transport properties of triphenylene discogens with a phenylpropionyloxy or 3-phenylpropenoyloxy side chain

Charge transport is one of the most important properties in organic materials. Charge transport properties of triphenylene discogens with a phenylpropionyloxy or 3-phenylpropenoyloxy side chain have been investigated computationally on the basis of semi-classical Marcus theory. The results show that three triphenylene derivatives have high charge mobility. Title compounds have much better electronic mobility than the triphenylene. The triphenylenes containing 3-phenylpropenoyloxy have better hole mobility, but smaller electronic mobility than the triphenylenes with phenylpropionyloxy. For the triphenylene discogens with a phenylpropionyloxy, the longer the alkloxy chains, the better the positive charge transfer rate, but the smaller the negative charge transfer rate. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50673069), the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Sichuan Province, China (Grant No. 07ZA093), and Scientific Research Foundation of Sichuan Normal University for Innovation Groups ( Grant No. 025156)     

Synthesis of Mixed Tail Triphenylene Discotic Liquid Crystals： Molecular Symmetry and Oxygen-Atom Effect on the Stabilization of Columnar Mesophases

Small change in chemical structure of discotic liquid crystals can cause big difference in their mesomorphism. Replacing of the alkoxy peripheral chains of triphenylene by oxygen-atom containing ester chains would result in novel mesomorphism. A series of mixed tail triphenylenes containing propoxyacetyloxy and alkoxy, abbreviated as C18H6（OCnH2n＋1）3（OCOCH2OC3H7）3, n=4-8, and hexa（propyloxyacetyloxy）triphenylene, C18H6（OCOCH2OC3H7）6 were synthesized. Thermal gravimetry analysis （TGA） of three discogens showed that they had good thermal stability till 350 ℃. The mesomorphism was investigated through differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and polarized optical microscopy （POM）. The preliminary X-ray diffraction （XRD） results of one compound showed that it exhibited ordered hexagonal columnar （Colho） mesophase. These mixed tail triphenylene derivatives possessed much stable Colho mesophase and wider mesophase ranges than their hexaalkoxytriphenylene C18H6（OR）6 and hexaalkanoyloxytriphenylene C18H6（OCOR＇）6 analogues. The asymmetrical compounds 2,6,11-trialkoxy-3,7,10-tri（2-propyloxyacetyloxy）triphenylenes with n=5-8 displayed higher clearing points and wider temperature ranges than their symmetrical isomers 2,6,10-trialkoxy-3,7,11-tri（2-propyloxyacetyloxy）- triphenylenes, while C18H6（OCOCH2OC3H7）6 had the highest clearing point due to the β-oxygen-atom effect.     

半氟烃链苯并菲盘状液晶的合成及其介晶性

全氟烃链的憎氟效应(fluorophobic effect)可有效地促使棒状分子形成近晶相, 并稳定液晶相. 为进一步探讨氟效应对盘状分子介晶性的影响, 合成了一系列全氟酯链的苯并菲化合物C₁₈H₆(OC_nH_2n＋1)₅(OCOC₂H₄C₆F₁₃) (a), 以及另一系列相对应的不含氟化合物C₁₈H₆(OC_nH_2n＋1)₅(OCOC₈H₁₇) (b), n＝4～9. DSC检测和偏光显微镜观察显示两类化合物都为柱状相热致型液晶. 化合物a与相对应的化合物b比较, 其熔点和清亮点上升, 柱状相的热稳定性增强.     

Liquid crystal mixtures for potential infrared applications

Liquid crystals (LCs) with diazo linkages have high dielectric and optical anisotropy. Two newly synthesized liquid crystalline compounds were dissolved in room temperature LC hosts, E7 and PTTP-24/36, to assess their properties. It was found that these mixtures have higher birefringence, larger dielectric anisotropy, and better elastic properties than the hosts. Satisfactory viscoelastic coefficients were also obtained for these mixtures, showing that they are promising LC materials for applications in the near IR region.     

Synthesis and study of N,N-disubstituted 4-aminophenylazobenzaldehydes

A series of ^N , ^N -disubstituted 4-aminophenylazobenzaldehydes (azo dyes) were synthesized by the reaction of phenylpiperazine derivatives with 4-formylbenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate. The salt was easily prepared by reacting poly(aminobenzaldehyde) with sodium nitrite in the presence of tetrafluoroboric acid. A representative sample was studied by crystallography, and the charge distribution of the molecule was calculated with the aim of understanding the form of molecular stacking on the basis of crystal data. The mesogenic behaviour of the azo dyes was also studied.     

The NTB phase in an achiral asymmetrical bent-core liquid crystal terminated with symmetric alkyl chains

ABSTRACT

The characteristics of the twist-bend nematic (N_TB) phase of an achiral asymmetrical rigid bent-core liquid crystal (LC), the ends of which are terminated by symmetric alkyl chains, are reported. The nematic–nematic phase transition and its properties are studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarising microscopy and the electro-optic techniques. Large domains of opposite handedness are observed in the absence of the external field in the N_TB phase. Another set of periodic striped pattern consisting of domains with sharp boundaries is formed when a high-frequency electric field with a magnitude above its threshold is applied across a planarly aligned cell. The neighbouring domains are of opposite chirality. The temperature dependence of the heliconical angle θ₀ is determined from the birefringence measurements using Haller’s extrapolation technique. This material shows lower values of the heliconical angle (~9.3° at a temperature of 155°C within the N_TB phase) when compared with the previously reported dimer-based twist-bend nematic LCs (31°±3°).     

Conformational Transformations of (C12H25NH3+)(Pyridinesulfonate) in the Solid State

The phase‐transition behaviors, crystal structures, and dielectric properties of four kinds of simple 1:1 organic salts of (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(benzenesulfonate) and (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(pyridine sulfonates) were examined from the viewpoint of intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions and dynamic conformational transformation in molecular assemblies. Crystals of (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(benzenesulfonate) and (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(3‐pyridinesulfonate) were isostructural and solid–solid and solid–liquid‐crystal smectic A (SmA) phase transitions were observed. These two crystals formed rodlike cation–anion assemblies. However, the two salts, (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(2‐pyridinesulfonate) and (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(4‐pyridinesulfonate), formed largely bent L ‐shaped cation–anion conformations. Interesting conformational transformations from rodlike to L ‐shaped assemblies were observed in (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(2‐pyridinesulfonate) and (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃⁺)(3‐pyridinesulfonate).     

Effect of Curing Process on the Dynamic Response of Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Films

Summary: The time relaxation of the optical transmission of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal films was investigated after application of an electric rectangular pulse. These films, consisting of liquid crystalline microdomains dispersed in a polymer matrix, were obtained by polymerization induced phase separation using ultraviolet and electron beam curing techniques. The effects of the curing procedure and film thickness on the transmission properties were investigated. The electro-optical response was expressed via a hierarchy of order parameters. A good agreement between the experimental data and calculated transmission values was found.     

Current topics in smectic liquid crystal research.

Interest in the smectic liquid-crystalline state of matter received a substantial boost with the discovery by Meyer in the mid-1970s that a chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase exhibits a spontaneous electric polarization, and with the subsequent demonstration by Clark and Lagerwall of the surface-stabilized SmC* ferroelectric liquid crystal at the beginning of the 1980s. Since then, chiral smectic phases and their plethora of polar effects have dominated the research in this field, which today has reached a mature state where the first commercial microdisplay applications are now shipping in millions-per-year quantities. In this Review we discuss some of the topics of highest interest in current smectic liquid crystal research, and address application-relevant research (de Vries-type tilting transitions without defect generation and high-tilt antiferroelectric liquid crystals with perfect dark state) as well as more curiosity-driven research (the nature and origin of the chiral smectic C subphases and their intermediate frustrated states between ferro- and antiferroelectricity).     

Synthesis and liquid crystalline properties of poly(1‐alkyne)s carrying triphenylene discogens

Triphenylene‐containing 1‐decynes with different alkyl chain lengths and their polymers are synthesized and the effects of the structural variables on their mesomorphic properties are investigated. The monomers [HC?C(CH₂)₈CO₂C₁₈H₆ (OC_mH_2m+1)₅; m = 4–9] are prepared by consecutive etherization, coupling, and esterification reactions. The monomers form columnar phases at room temperature. The polymerizations of the monomers are effected by [Rh(nbd)Cl]₂, producing soluble polymers in high yields (up to 84%). The structures and properties of the polymers are characterized and evaluated by IR, NMR, TGA, DSC, POM, and XRD analyses. All the polymers are thermally stable, losing little of their weights when heated to 300 °C. The isotropization temperature of the polymers increases initially with the length of alkyl chain but decreases on further extension. Although the polymers with shorter and longer alkyl chain lengths adopt a homogeneous hexagonal columnar structure, those with intermediate ones form mesophases with mixed structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2960–2974, 2008