Branched chain discotics Phase structure and orientation behaviour

Studies show that branching the side chains of hexakis(acoyloxy)-benzenes (HAB) and -cyclohexanes (HAChx) does not modify the structure of the discotic mesophase formed. Shear fields appear to act on entire columns, not on individual discs, thereby causing alignment of columns in the shear direction. X-ray diffraction patterns of samples at temperatures between 30°C and 40°C above the clearing temperature provide evidence for the presence of mesophase order.     

The development of polar discotic metallomesogens Vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes

Abstract

The dependence of mesomorphism of 1,3-diketonate vanadium-oxo (vanadyl) complexes on the number of side chains was investigated. These complexes have a large dipole normal to the disc plane and are under investigation in an effort to generate discotic phases with polar order. Relatively complex phase behaviour is observed when the vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes are appended with four phenyl groups with two octyloxy or decyloxy side chains each for a total of eight side chains. These complexities are most likely related to the order/disorder associated with the polar vanadyl group. Vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes with four side chains were prepared by replacement of two of the phenyl groups with methyl or trifluoromethyl groups, and these complexes displayed only crystal phases. Complexes with two trialkyloxy phenyls and two dialkyloxy phenyls were synthesized and found to display a very stable D_hd phase. The presence of additional alkyloxy groups was found also to promote a linear chain structure, (i.e. ??V?O??V?O??), in the crystal phase.     

Discotic liquid crystalline materials for potential nonlinear optical applications: synthesis and liquid crystalline behavior of 1,3,5-triphenyl-2,4,6-triazine derivatives containing achiral and chiral alkyl chains at the periphery

As a novel approach to nonlinear optical materials, new octupolar discotic liquid crystalline materials 1,3,5-triphenyl-2,4,6-triazine derivatives containing achiral alkyl chains (5a) and chiral alkyl chains (5b) at the periphery were synthesized. The former exhibits an ordered hexagonal columnar mesophase, whereas the latter displays a rectangular columnar mesophase. The negative exciton splitting observed in the CD spectrum of a thin film of 5b suggests that it has a left-handed helical structure within the column.     

The development of polar discotic metallomesogens Vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes

The dependence of mesomorphism of 1,3-diketonate vanadium-oxo (vanadyl) complexes on the number of side chains was investigated. These complexes have a large dipole normal to the disc plane and are under investigation in an effort to generate discotic phases with polar order. Relatively complex phase behaviour is observed when the vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes are appended with four phenyl groups with two octyloxy or decyloxy side chains each for a total of eight side chains. These complexities are most likely related to the order/disorder associated with the polar vanadyl group. Vanadyl 1,3-diketonate complexes with four side chains were prepared by replacement of two of the phenyl groups with methyl or trifluoromethyl groups, and these complexes displayed only crystal phases. Complexes with two trialkyloxy phenyls and two dialkyloxy phenyls were synthesized and found to display a very stable D_hd phase. The presence of additional alkyloxy groups was found also to promote a linear chain structure, (i.e. --V=O--V=O--), in the crystal phase.     

The effects of chain length,embedded polar groups,pressure, and pore shape on structure and retention in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Molecular-level insights from Monte Carlo simulations

Particle-based simulations using the configurational-bias and Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo techniques are carried out to probe the effects of various chromatographic parameters on bonded-phase chain conformation, solvent penetration, and retention in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). Specifically, we investigate the effects due to the length of the bonded-phase chains (C₁₈, C₈, and C₁), the inclusion of embedded polar groups (amide and ether) near the base of the bonded-phase chains, the column pressure (1, 400, and 1000 atm), and the pore shape (planar slit pore versus cylindrical pore with a 60 Å diameter). These simulations utilize a bonded-phase coverage of 2.9 μ$\mu$mol/m²and a mobile phase containing methanol at a molfraction of 33% (about 50% by volume). The simulations show that chain length, embedded polar groups, and pore shape significantly alter structural and retentive properties of the model RPLC system, whereas the column pressure has a relatively small effect. The simulation results are extensively compared to retention measurements. A molecular view of the RPLC retention mechanism emerges that is more complex than can be inferred from thermodynamic measurements.     

Conformational Analysis of Constrained Dilactam-bridged Tetrapeptides

In order to probe constrained regions in polypeptides, a series of lactambridged derivatives were prepared:

Our approach has been to limit mobility of the peptide backbone by coupling side chains on adjacent residues. This allows rotation about the torsion angles ψ₂ and φ₃ in the tetrapeptides. These model compounds, therefore, can mimic turns in polypeptides. The conformations of these peptides has been investigated by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as well as via molecular dynamics simulations and energy minimization calculations. The results from these studies are consistent with the presence of a β-turn in the “LLDD LysGlu” tetrapeptide (compound 1) and with a variety of C7 structures for the other tetrapeptides (compounds 2, 4, and 5).     

Crystal Structure and Conformation of a Bilirubin Ester

Summary. Crystal structures determined for three bilirubin analogs with gem-dimethyl groups at C(10) are reported, including the first X-ray structure of a bilirubin dimethyl ester. Conformation-determining torsion angles and key hydrogen bond distances and angles were compared to those from molecular dynamics calculations. Like other rubins, the component dipyrrinones of the three compounds were found to adopt the syn conformation, with Z-configuration double bonds at C(4) and C(15) and bis-lactam tautomeric structures of the end rings. No large differences in bond lengths and bond angles at C(10) were found, and the crystal structures of the two 10,10-dimethyl rubin acids showed considerable similarity to that of bilirubin: both pigments adopt a folded, intramolecularly hydrogen bonded ridge-tile conformation stabilized by six hydrogen bonds, with an interplanar angle in ridge-tile of 98° and 86°. In contrast, the dimethyl ester is intermolecularly hydrogen bonded in the crystal. Each molecule of the ester has its two syn-Z-dipyrrinones rotated into a conformation syn to the gem-dimethyl group, whereas in the acids they are anti.     

Discotic Metallomesogens: Effects of Sidechains Density in Transition Metal Bis(β-Diketonate) Complexes

The preparation and mesogenic properties of a series of discotic β-diketonate metal complexes are reported. The results show that the density of side chains, positions of side chains, and the geometries of the metal centers play important roles in determining the mesomorphic behaviors and thermodynamic stability of these complexes. In the series of copper complexes 3, all these disc-like molecules with eight alkoxy side chains exhibit columnar hexagonal disordered (D_hd) mesophases. In the series of copper complexes 2 with six side chains, only compounds substituted with longer alkoxy chains (n = C₁₄ or C₁₆) exhibit discotic columnar mesophase. However, in the series of complexes 1, only crystal-to-isotropic transitions were observed. The results showed that induction of liquid crystallinity not only depends on the numbers of side chains (i.e. side chain density), but also on the degree of distribution over the central core. Palladium complexes analogs exhibit similar discotic mesophases, and due to their greater core-core organization, they also have higher clearing points and wider temperature range of mesophases than copper complexes.     

Melt processing of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene on the water surface

A discotic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene, was oriented by slow cooling from the isotropic phase on a water surface as a film. For melt processing at low temperatures, an HBC derivative with long swallow-tailed alkyl side chains was chosen. The supramolecular organization in the resulting thin layer was investigated by electron microscopy. In high-resolution mode, the structural study showed large domains in which the columnar structures were oriented uniaxially with an edge-on arrangement of the hydrophobic molecules. The length of the stacks exceeded several hundred nanometers without obvious defects. The small-area analysis by TEM allowed the direct visualization of individual packed molecules. Electron diffraction revealed a high in-plane order of the columnar superstructures in which the discs were tilted by ca. 40° with respect to the stacking direction. This is the first example of a discotic system melt processed on the water surface yielding a pronounced order.     

Columnar phases of achiral vanadyl liquid crystalline complexes

Two liquid crystalline vanadyl complexes have been studied by frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy over the range 10 mHz to 13 MHz. The materials exhibit two or three columnar phases denoted Col_ro, Col_rd, and Col_hd that were identified by X-ray diffraction. In the higher temperature Col_rd phase, a relaxation process in the kHz range is observed that is attributed to the reorientation about the molecular short axis. A pronounced dielectric relaxation process shows up in the low temperature Col_ro phase at hertz and sub-hertz frequencies. This slow relaxation is assigned to reorientation of the molecular dipoles within the polar linear chains, which are aligned along the column's axis. Triangular wave switching studies at low frequency reveal processes inside the Col_ro phase which are most probably due to ionic/charges relaxations but a ferroelectric switching for an achiral discotic system cannot be ruled out completely. Below the Col_ro phase there is an orientationally disordered crystalline Cr_x phase with disordered side chain dipoles. A dielectric relaxation process connected with the intramolecular relaxation of the alkoxy side chains, similar to the beta-process of polymers, has been found in the lower temperature Cr_x phase.     

Computer simulations of molecular motion in liquid crystals by the method of Brownian dynamics

Computer simulations of the molecular motion of polymer chains in the presence of a strong nematic field were carried out by the method of Brownian dynamics. Two models were studied: the first model (linear liquid crystal) is a freely jointed chain with rigid bonds, the second model (comb-like liquid crystal) is a chain with fixed bond angles and rigid side groups. The influence of ordering on chain conformations, orientational and translational mobility and spectra of relaxation times was investigated.     

Columnar phases of achiral vanadyl liquid crystalline complexes

Two liquid crystalline vanadyl complexes have been studied by frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy over the range 10 mHz to 13 MHz. The materials exhibit two or three columnar phases denoted Col_ro, Col_rd, and Col_hd that were identified by X-ray diffraction. In the higher temperature Col_rd phase, a relaxation process in the kHz range is observed that is attributed to the reorientation about the molecular short axis. A pronounced dielectric relaxation process shows up in the low temperature Col_ro phase at hertz and sub-hertz frequencies. This slow relaxation is assigned to reorientation of the molecular dipoles within the polar linear chains, which are aligned along the column's axis. Triangular wave switching studies at low frequency reveal processes inside the Col_ro phase which are most probably due to ionic/charges relaxations but a ferroelectric switching for an achiral discotic system cannot be ruled out completely. Below the Col_ro phase there is an orientationally disordered crystalline Cr_x phase with disordered side chain dipoles. A dielectric relaxation process connected with the intramolecular relaxation of the alkoxy side chains, similar to the beta-process of polymers, has been found in the lower temperature Cr_x phase.     

2H NMR studies of phase behaviour and molecular motions of doped discotic liquid-crystalline systems

A discotic triphenylene monomer as well as a dimer and a main chain polymer, all substituted with heptyloxy side groups, were doped with an electron acceptor (2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone (TNF)) to give charge transfer complexes. These doped systems were aligned in a magnetic field, thus proving their liquid crystallinity. ²H NMR measurements show that the electron acceptor molecules are incorporated into the columns built of triphenylene cores. In the charge transfer complex with the triphenylene monomer almost all the electron acceptor molecules stack in the columns even close to the clearing temperature T₁, while for the dimer and especially for the polymer a significant fraction of the TNF molecules exhibits isotropic motion, which is attributed to their location in the region between the columns, already way below T₁. This isotropically distributed part increases on approaching T₁. Fast rotation of the discs around their column axes takes place in the monomer and is quenched in the dimer and the polymer, due to the interlinking of the columns by the spacer. The electron acceptor molecules, on the other hand, exhibit free rotation in all samples, even in the charge transfer complexes with the triphenylene dimer and polymer. In the side group labelled triphenylenes increased ²H NMR spectral narrowing is detected in the charge transfer complex samples compared with the corresponding pure triphenylenes. This indicates higher side group mobility in the doped systems, since the incorporation of TNF molecules increases the spacing between the discotic units.     

Small angle X-ray and dielectric data of soybean-phosphatidylcholine Phospholipon® 100

Soybean-Phosphatidylcholine Phospholipon^® 100 has a stable gel conformation in the as-prepared state. We observed a main phase transition (chain melting) above 30 °C in the first heating run. This transition is marked 1. by a change of the lamellar repeat distance recorded by small angle X-ray diffraction, and 2. by an increase of the imaginary part of the dielectric constant. After the first heating up to + 90 °C the chains melt in a broad temperature range between –60 °C and +90 °C. The high stability of chain conformation in the temperature range –60 °C to +30 °C of the as-prepared state is due to the low water content of the material.     

Induction of a nematic columnar phase in a discotic hexagonal ordered phase forming system

The induction of a nematic columnar phase in a discotic hexagonal ordered phase forming system is achieved by mixing hexakispentyloxytriphenylene 1 with a long chain derivative of trinitrofluorenone 3. The difference in chain length has a strong influence on the packing behaviour due to steric effects. The long hydrocarbon chains of the acceptor introduce a strong asymmetry into the electron donor acceptor complex. It could be shown by differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy and X-ray measurements that a nematic columnar phase is formed. In this mesophase the triphenylenes form columns but no hexagonal or orthorhombic lattice is built up. Each column behaves like a rod-like nematic mesogen. To prove that the long hexadecane alkyl chains of the acceptor are responsible for this induction, the acceptor 3 was mixed with the non-liquid-crystalline triphenylene derivative 2 containing six hexadecyloxy side groups. The long alkyl chains of the acceptor dissolve perfectly in the side chain region of the discs. No asymmetry is induced and the columns formed can be arranged on a hexagonal lattice resulting in a D_ho phase.     

Linear polyisophthalamides from the trifunctional monomer 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid. A convenient approach towards functionalized aromatic polymers

Wholly aromatic polyisophthalamides (PIPAs) containing free hydroxylic groups were prepared from 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid and sulfonyldianiline by the condensation phosphorylation method, using triphenylphosphite as a condensing agent, in the presence of pyridine. Linear polymers were attained in high yield and high molecular weight, and the properties of the polymers were investigated in comparison with homologous polyisophthalamides without OH groups. The presence of OH groups did not much modified the solubility of hydroxyl-containing polyisophthalamides as they behaved against common solvents in a similar manner as that of reference polyisophthalamides. However, hydroxyl side groups greatly enhanced the water affinity of polyisophthalamides, which showed up to 16% water uptake in 98% relative humidity, and contact angles about 10° smaller than those of classical PIPAs. The presence of free OH groups slightly diminished the thermal resistance, as evaluated by TGA, but the glass transition temperatures were higher by 20–30 °C, with a maximum of 345 °C. The mechanical properties of hydroxyl-containing polyisophthalamides were reasonably acceptable, with modulus around 2000 MPa and tensile strength up to 60 MPa.     

Molecular dynamics and the glass transition in a columnar liquid crystal formed by a chiral discotic mesogen

A new type of chiral discotic liquid crystal is described. It is based on a triphenylene core but carries only one asymmetric side chain per mesogen. This system displays a columnar liquid-crystalline mesophase with a helical superstructure and a pitch of 3·0 nm over a temperature range of 227 K. Upon cooling it forms a glassy state. By broadband dielectric and ²H NMR spectroscopy two motional processes are detected. The axial rotation of the discs around the column axis exhibits non-Arrhenius behaviour and is directly related to the glass transition. The second process is ascribed to localized side chain motions involving the ester linkages.     

Synthesis of highly functionalized BEDT-TTF analogues incorporating 1,4-dithiin rings from 1,8-diketones

Employment of 1,8-diketone ring formation reaction led to the synthesis of tetrathiafulvalene derivatives having diphenyl-1,4-dithiin ring together with dihydroxyl, dimethyl, MEM and diphenylthiophene groups. Spectroelectrochemistry of ET and its fully unsaturated analogue 4 was compared. While both displayed nearly similar behaviours, ET started to precipitate as the second oxidation potential is reached. CV studies indicated that the fully unsaturated 4 and tetraphenyldithiophene 20 have the highest oxidation potentials, while diphenyldithiindimethylthio 16 displayed the lowest oxidation potentials. CV measurements indicated that the combination of dithiin and hydroxyl groups help lowering the oxidation potentials. It is surprising that while the presence of dithiin ring results in higher oxidation potentials, hydroxyl groups lower the potentials. Single crystal structure of 13, having both dithiin and 1,4-dithiepine rings, was examined and it was observed that dithiin and dithiepine rings form angles of 20.52° and 25.65° with the planar TTF core in cis form as both rings bent about their S?S axis to give a boat conformation.     

A 310-helix single turn enforced by crosslinking of lysines with 1,1′-ferrocenedicarboxylic acid

Prior work has shown that covalently linking the side chains of amino acids in the i and i+3 and i and i+4 positions in a peptide will enforce a helical conformation. In this work the ability of an organometallic entity to enforce a helical conformation in a peptide was explored. The tetrapeptide Boc-Lys-Ala-Val-Lys-NHCH₃ was prepared, then reacted with 1,1′-ferrocenedicarboxylic acid chloride. Reaction of the lysine side chain amines with the diacid chloride resulted in a metallacyclicpeptide (1) in which the two lysines are crosslinked via the ferrocene. The solution conformation of the metallacyclicpeptide (1) was studied using CD and NMR spectroscopy. The NMR methods employed were Karplus analysis of coupling constants, chemical shift changes of NH protons and ROESY data. The results show that the metallacyclicpeptide (1) adopts a single turn of the 3₁₀-helix conformation.