The stability of columns comprising alternating triphenylene and hexaphenyltriphenylene molecules: variations in the structure of the hexaphenyltriphenylene component

Previous investigations of complementary polytopic interaction (CPI) columnar mesophases, in which the columns are built up of alternating hexaalkoxytriphenylene (HAT) and hexaphenyltriphenylene (PTP) molecules, concentrated mainly on the effect of variations in the structure of the HAT component. This investigation is concerned with the effect of variations in the structure of the PTP component and, in particular, variations in the position of an alkoxy side chain in the phenyl ring. Stable columnar mesophases are obtained when a hexyloxy substituent is placed in the meta‐ or para‐position but not in the ortho‐position. In the case of the meta‐ and para‐substituted systems, the two‐component CPI columnar phases are stable over a considerably larger temperature range than the one‐component HAT systems. The evidence suggests that unfavourable PTP/PTP stacking is as much a driving force for the formation of these mixed stacks as is favourable PTP/HAT stacking, but both need to be explained in terms of the sum of atomically dispersed van der Waals and coulombic interactions. On cooling from the isotropic into the Col_h phase, the columnar phase based on a 1:1 mixture of hexakis(hexyloxy)tripenylene and the meta‐hexyloxy‐substituted PTP gives an unusual texture consisting of ‘viking‐axe’‐shaped structures.     

Nitro and bromo derivatives of a highly fluorinated thiobenzoate

Several compounds derived from monosubstituted thiobenzoates, with substituents in the meta- or para-position, have been prepared; these contain a thioester spacer between a semifluorinated chain and the rigid core unit. The substituent is either a bromo or a nitro group. Their mesomorphic properties were evaluated using polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The influence of the different substituents on the phenyl core was considered. No mesomorphic behaviour was seen except for one nitro derivative. The introduction of the nitro group in the para-position of the thiobenzoate core leads to a LC transition on heating. As with previous studies, these results show that substitution at the 4 position on a monophenyl core can lead to liquid crystallinity, whereas substitution in the meta-position does not; this supports the view that meta-substitution is not a necessary condition for obtaining a LC phase.     

Substituent position effect on the properties of new unsymmetrical isomeric diarylethenes having a chlorine atom

Three new unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethenes bearing a chlorine atom at para-, meta- and ortho-position of one terminal benzene ring, namely {1-(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-2-[2-methyl-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-thienyl]}perfluorocyclopentene (para 1o), {1-(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-2-[2-methyl-5-(3-chlorophenyl)-3-thienyl]}perfluorocyclopentene (meta 2o), and {1-(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-2-[2-methyl-5-(2-chlorophenyl) -3-thienyl]}perfluorocyclopentene (ortho 3o), have been synthesized. The substituent position effect on their properties, including photochromism, fluorescence both in solution and in PMMA amorphous film and their electrochemical properties were investigated in detail. The results elucidated that the chlorine atom and its substituent position had a remarkable effect on the absorption characteristics, photochromic reactivity, fluorescence, as well as the electrochemical performances of these diarylethene compounds. For diarylethenes 1, 2 and 3, the cycloreversion quantum yields were gradually increased when the chlorine atom was attached to the para-, meta- and ortho-positions of the one terminal benzene rings; but their molar absorption coefficients both of their open-ring and closed-ring isomers were remarkably decreased. The fluorescent properties of para-substituted diarylethene embedded in poly(methyl methacylate) (PMMA) amorphous film showed good fluorescent switches (quenched to 28%). Furthermore, the cyclic voltammograms experiments elucidated that the electrochemical properties of these diarylethene derivatives were also remarkably dependent on the chlorine atom position effect, which may be attributed to the different electron-inducing ability and steric effect when the chlorine atom was substituted on the different position of the terminal benzene ring.     

Substituent effects on ultrafast excited-state proton transfer of protonated aniline derivatives in aqueous solution

Substituent effects on the proton dissociation of protonated aniline derivatives upon femtosecond laser pulse excitation are investigated for m- and p-cyanoanilines and m- and p-methoxyanilines in aqueous solution. The cyano substitution at the meta-position increases the rate significantly (k_dis=3.7 × 10¹¹ s⁻¹) compared to aniline (k_dis=1.3 × 10¹⁰ s⁻¹), while the methoxy substitution reduces the rate remarkably. Either substituent at the para-position shows only slight influences on the rate. The strong dependences of the k_dis value on the substituent and the substituted position are reasonably explained on the basis of the free energy change.     

Dimer liquid crystals with bent mesogenic units

Three series of dimer liquid crystals containing an aromatic and a cholesteryl mesogenic unit were synthesized and investigated The compounds within the series differ in the length of the spacer connecting the mesogenic groups. Two of the three series contain an aromatic mesogenic group that is connected to the spacer at a meta-position instead of the para-position. Due to the presence of this bent mesogenic group, the odd-even effect in the transitional properties that is normally observed for dimer liquid crystals is reversed as compared with that of the third series, which contains a para-substituted aromatic mesogenic group. The reversed odd-even effect is found for the isotropization temperatures, the associated enthalpy changes and also for the optical properties.     

Chloromethylphenylcarbamate derivatives of cellulose as chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography

A new class of eight chloromethylphenylcarbamate derivatives of cellulose was prepared by introducing both an electron-donating methyl group and an electron-withdrawing chloro group on to the phenyl moieties and their chiral recognition abilities were evaluated as chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid chromatography. The superiority of these derivatives over dichloro- and dimethylphenylcarbamates of cellulose as CSPs was demonstrated for some racemic compounds. The elution order and enantioselectivity were greatly dependent on the positions of the substituents. Meta- and para-disubstituted derivatives showed higher chiral recognition than ortho- and meta- or para- disubstituted derivatives. The correlation between the chemical shifts of the N---H protons of the carbamate moieties and the enantiomer-resolving abilities of the derivatives is discussed. Some of the derivatives were effective CSPs in both normal- and reversed- phase conditions and could efficiently separate some chiral drug enantiomers.     

Laterally dibenzyloxy-branched nematogens with large nematic range and rich solid polymorphism

Mesogenic compounds containing four rings in the core usually have very high melting points. However, when two identical lateral benzyloxy groups are introduced on the same side of one of the central rings, the melting point is lowered dramatically and a large nematic range is retained. This range is affected by the bulkiness of the para-substituents in the lateral rings. Methyl groups can be introduced in the ortho- or meta-positions with a consequent decrease in the melting temperature without much affecting the nematic range. These compounds exhibit a rich solid polymorphism which is certainly related to the effect of the conformations of the lateral substituent on the molecular arrangment in the solid phase. Some preliminary NMR experiments on the nematic phase indicate that the molecular long axis coincides with the core axis, whereas the para-axis of the lateral fragment makes an angle close to the magic angle with respect to the molecular long axis.     

Command surfaces 12 [1]. Factors affecting in-plane photoregulation of liquid crystal alignment by surface azobenzenes on a silica substrate

In-plane alignment of nematic liquid crystals was regulated by polarized-light-irradiation of a cell assembled with a silica plate, the surface of which was modified by attaching 4-hexyl-4'-hexyloxyazobenzene at its o-position through surface silylation. The photoisomerizability of the chemisorbed azo-chromophore was affected by their surface density and the nature of photoinactive co-modifiers. The efficiency of the photoregulation of liquid crystal alignment was optimized by two-dimensional dilution of the chromophore with ethyltriethoxysilane (ETS) or 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (ATS). As a result, favourable procedure was to modify a silica surface with a crude azo-silylating reagent contaminated by ATS. The rate of the photoinduced reorientation of liquid crystals was followed by monitoring the alteration of the alignment direction of a dichroic dye dissolving in a mesophasic layer upon exposure to linearly polarized light. Exposure energy for the in-plane reorientation of a liquid crystal was about 100mJcm^-2 of 445 nm light at elevated temperatures close to T_NI. The effect of positional isomerism on the photoregulation was determined with the use of 4-cyano-4'-hexyloxyazobenzene as a commander molecule. It was confirmed that the photoalignment efficiency was markedly enhanced by attaching the chromophore at the ortho- or meta-position. The exposure energy for the reorientation of a liquid crystal was reduced by linking the p-cyanoazobenzene at the meta-position so that the reorientation was complete with an exposure energy of 20mJcm^-2.     

CPI induction of liquid crystal behaviour in triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains

2,3,6,7,10,11-Hexasubstituted triphenylenes have been synthesized that contain a mixture of hydrophobic (C₆H₁₃O) and hydrophilic (CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂O) side chains. At one extreme HAT6 (1a) (six hydrophobic chains) shows thermotropic behaviour and at the other TP6EO2M (1e) (six hydrophilic chains) shows lyotropic behaviour. Of the triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains, only the triphenylene with one hydrophilic side chain and five hydrophobic side chains (1b) gives a thermotropic columnar phase. None of the others show liquid crystal behaviour. However, all of these triphenylenes form binary 1:1 compounds when mixed with PDQ9 (2a) and with PTP9 (2b). These CPI (complimentary polytopic interaction) stabilized compounds give thermotropic hexagonal columnar phases over wide temperature ranges.     

Studies on relation between columnar order and electrical conductivity in HAT6 discotic liquid crystals using temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations

The vibrational property of 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(hexyloxy)triphenylene (HAT6) discotic liquid crystal (DLC) material is investigated in this research by using temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy technique. One-dimensional (1D) charge transport mechanism in the DLC molecules is enabled in the columnar liquid crystalline (D_h) phase. The result indicates a high core-to-core correlation in the liquid crystal columnar phase, which has a ‘memory’ like effect that extends into isotropic phase at femtosecond timescale. This correlation is also confirmed through electrical conductivity measurement of DLCs, in which the electrical conductivity is enhanced in the DLC phase. DFT simulation was also carried out in order to elucidate the basic properties of HAT6 such as the band gap in the light of Raman spectra. An interesting outcome is that a freely unspecified boundary model produces in a more flexible molecule, resulting in a reduced band gap. Thus, this work provides an understanding of relationship between columnar order and electrical conductivity of HAT6 molecule, and potential strategy for design of DLCs in electronics application.     

Dynamic, electrooptical and energetic nonequivalency of NH bonds in 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of aminopyridines with proton acceptors

The influence of the –NH₂ group position in the pyridine ring on the proton donor ability of N–H groups in hydrogen bonding as well as on the spectral behaviour of stretching and bending vibrations of aminopyridines has been studied. The proton donor ability was shown to increase in the row: meta-, ortho-, and para-aminopyridines. It was established tha N–H bonds in ortho-aminopyridine were not equivalent, and the evaluation of their dynamic nonequivalence was made.

The influence of temperature on the spectral characteristics of the absorption bands of the stretching vibrations of amine groups in the free and hydrogen bonded molecules in CCl₄ has been studied (in temperature range 290–330 K), the formation constants of the complexes have been determined, enthalpy of the 1:1 complexes formation (−ΔH₁) between ortho- and meta-aminopyridines with dimethylformamide, dimethylsulphoxide and hexamethylphosphoramide has been calculated in temperature range 290–330 K. The 1:2 complexes of ortho-, meta- and para-aminopyridines with acetonitrile, tetrahydrofurane, dimethylsulphoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide were studied at the indoor temperature. Enthalpy of the 1:2 complex (−ΔH₂) was estimated on the basis of ‘intensity rule’; −ΔH₁=ΔB^1/2 assuming that parameter does not depend on the composition of a complex.

The vibrational and electrooptical tasks were solved for the free and H-bounded molecules of aminopyridines as well as its complexes of the 1:1 and 1:2 compositions. Dynamic, electrooptical and energetic nonequivalency of NH bonds of aminogroups in aminopyridines was studied quantitatively. The independent calculations of dynamic constants proved mentioned above nonequivalency of NH bonds.

Correlations between spectral characteristics of the absorption bands, geometric, dynamic and electrooptical parameters of –NH₂ group in aminopyridines in the free and hydrogen bonded molecules have been established. Those correlations allow to determine the most important molecular characteristics obtained on the basis of spectral measurements in the range of the absorption bands of the stretching vibrations of aminogroup.     

Heterocyclic columnar pyrimidines: synthesis, characterization and mesomorphic properties

The synthesis, characterization, and mesomorphic properties of two series of heterocyclic compounds derived from a pyrimidine core are reported. These series, 1a and 1b, are substituted with a variety of functional groups (X=NHSO₂CF₃, F, Cl, Br, I, OCH₃, CH₃, C₂H₅) at the C^3' (meta)- or C^4' (para)-position of the terminal phenyl ring, and the substituent effect on mesophase formation was studied. The compounds were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, and the mesomorphic behavior of the compounds was characterized and studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Most of the compounds were mesogenic at room temperature, and the mesophases were assigned as lamellar columnar (Col_L) phases, as expected for disk-like molecules. The results also revealed that compounds with a para-substituent (1a; except for -OCH₃) at the C^4'-position, exhibited higher clearing temperatures and wider temperature mesophase ranges than those of compounds with a meta-substituent (1b) at the C^3'-position. The higher clearing temperatures may be attributed to stronger dipolar interactions resulting from a greater resonance effect with the central core for para-substitution than for meta-substitution. The results also indicated that the columnar mesophases observed show a correlation with the electronic properties of the substituents; compounds containing electron-withdrawing substituents (X=F, Cl, Br, I, NHSO₂CF₃) also have higher clearing temperatures than compounds containing electron-donating substituents (X=Me, Et, OMe).     

Reactions of biscyclopentadienylnickel with lithium and magnesium aryls

The reaction of nickelocene with phenyllithium, ortho-, meta- and para-methylphenylmagnesium bromide, and 2-((dimethylamino)methyl) phenyllithium are studied. It was found that unstable compounds {CpNiC₆H₄R} (R = H, o-, m-, p-CH₃) are formed in those reactions. For R = CH₂N(CH₃)₂, a stable compound, CpNiC₆H₄CH₂N(CH₃)₂, is formed due to intramolecular coordination. In other cases, mainly coupling reactions occur and biphenyl, bitolyl and higher coupling products are formed. Compound (CpNiC₆H₄R) is also formed as a product of thermal decomposition of Cp{η²⁻ C₂H₄)NiC₆H₄R. It reacts further to form the same products as above. The mechanism of the coupling reactions is proposed and discussed.     

E-2-benzylidenebenzocyclanones. II. IR and mass spectrometric investigations

A series of E-2-benzylideneindanones (a) -tetralones (b) and -benzosuberones (c) with OCH₃ (2–4), NO₂ (5–7) and F (8–10) substituents in ortho, meta or para position was studied by IR and mass spectrometry. The most important IR bands were assigned and stated correlations between some frequencies and the stereostructure or conjugation feature of the molecules investigated. IR spectra were also analyzed in order to find frequencies characteristic of the size of the alkanone ring. The mass spectrometric investigation aimed at determining fragmentation pathways and finding correlations between them and the ring size of the alkanone ring or the position of the substituents.     

Ethylation and disproportionation of ethylbenzene over substituted AFI type molecular sieves

The vapour and liquid phase ethylation of ethylbenzene was performed over AlPO₄-5 and its substituted counter parts. The results obtained for vapour phase reactions have shown a higher catalytic activity at 350 and 400 °C. The catalysts, however, exhibited a faster deactivation rate. The results obtained for liquid phase reaction have shown a higher selectivity for para-diethylbenzene (84.4%) than the vapour phase reaction (41.5%). MnAPO-5 was found to be active up to 240 h for the liquid phase reaction. para-Diethylbenzene, meta-diethylbenzene and polyalkylbenzene were the major products obtained for ethylation of ethylbenzene. When ethylbenzene passed over MnAPO-5 yielded products, such as benzaldehyde, acetophenone, styrene and 2,3-diphenylbutane. This showed a preference for oxidation rather than disproportionation followed by alkylation. Notwithstanding the better acid characteristics of ZSM-5, MnAPO-5 could be a better choice for this class of reaction essentially due to its higher para selectivity.     

Vibrational (FT-IR and FT-Raman) and NMR studies on selected metal (Ca, Mn, Zn) complexes with ortho-, meta-, and para-iodobenzoic acids

The vibrational (FT-IR and FT-Raman) and NMR (¹H and ¹³C) spectra of Ca, Mn, and Zn complexes with ortho-, meta-, and para-iodobenzoic acids have been studied. The solid state samples of all complexes have been measured within the range 4000–400 cm⁻¹, while water solutions of ortho-iodobenzoates within the range 4000–800 cm⁻¹. Based on previous experimental data and normal mode calculations for simpler complexes the assignment of bands observed in vibrational spectra of studied compounds has been done. Some significant differences in vibrational structure (frequency and intensity of selected bands) have been observed and discussed. The effect of metal on ring vibrations and carboxylic anion stretching and deformation has been investigated. Also, influence of iodine substitution on the aromatic ring and carboxylic anion, depending on iodine ring position, has been discussed. In case of soluble compounds, wavenumbers of characteristic bands of water solution samples have been compared with wavenumbers of corresponding bands of solid state samples.     

A rationalization of orientation and reactivity in the nucleophilic replacement reactions of aromatic polyhalo-compounds

C₆F₅X compounds react with nucleophiles at the position para to X in some cases (X = H, CH₃, NMe₂, SMe, CF₃), meta in others (X = NH₂, O⁻) and occasionally at both meta and para in comparable amounts (X = OMe, NHME); significant amounts of ortho-replacement also occur (X = Cl, OMe). These orientations, and those in polychloro-aromatics and polyfluoro-polynuclear aromatics, can be rationalized by considering the relative stabilities of the Wheland-type intermediates involved (I, II, III), provided the halogens are taken as electron-repelling in π-systems. Reactivities can be rationalized if ground state stabilities are considered as well. A number of predictions have been made on the basis of these arguments.     

Structure and photoconductive behaviour of a sanidic liquid crystal

A series of [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene-2,7-dicarboxylate derivatives consisting of a flat, conjugated aromatic moiety containing sulphur hetero-atoms and substituted by terminal chains - ethyl, decyl, Z-4-decenyl or 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethyl - has been synthesized. These materials exhibit a smectic liquid crystalline phase, the stability of which was found to be strongly dependent on the length and the nature of the terminal chains. In the mesophase, the molecular arrangement within the smectic layer is characterized by a local stacking of the rigid parts similar to that found in discotic columnar systems. Finally, clear photoconductive behaviour was found in mechanically aligned samples of these liquid crystals.     

CPI induction of liquid crystal behaviour in triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains

2,3,6,7,10,11-Hexasubstituted triphenylenes have been synthesized that contain a mixture of hydrophobic (C₆H₁₃O) and hydrophilic (CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂O) side chains. At one extreme HAT6 (1a) (six hydrophobic chains) shows thermotropic behaviour and at the other TP6EO2M (1e) (six hydrophilic chains) shows lyotropic behaviour. Of the triphenylenes with a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains, only the triphenylene with one hydrophilic side chain and five hydrophobic side chains (1b) gives a thermotropic columnar phase. None of the others show liquid crystal behaviour. However, all of these triphenylenes form binary 1:1 compounds when mixed with PDQ9 (2a) and with PTP9 (2b). These CPI (complimentary polytopic interaction) stabilized compounds give thermotropic hexagonal columnar phases over wide temperature ranges.