A first low-molar-mass, monodispersive, bent-rod dimer exhibiting biaxial nematic and smectic A phases

A "peelable banana" is formed when a bent-core molecule is linked to a rodlike mesogen through a flexible aliphatic spacer. This is an appropriate description of this novel low-molar-mass organic system, which displays a transition from a biaxial nematic (Nb) phase to a biaxial smectic A phase. The illustration gives a schematic representation of the dimeric molecules in the Nb phase as well as the corresponding textural and conoscopic patterns obtained

Formation of highly luminescent supramolecular architectures possessing columnar order from octupolar oxadiazole derivatives: hierarchical self-assembly from nanospheres to fibrous gels

The synthesis and study of the liquid crystalline, photophysical, and aggregation behavior of novel octupolar oxadiazole derivatives are reported. These molecules formed columnar mesophases at elevated temperatures which transformed into a glassy state at ambient temperatures wherein the columnar order was retained. Their spontaneous concentration dependent hierarchical self-assembly from spheres to fibrous gels has been investigated using TEM, SEM, and XRD. Retention of the hexagonal columnar (Col<SUB>h</SUB>) order was also observed in the fibrous aggregates. Concentration dependent luminescence spectral studies indicated that the change in morphology from spheres to fibrous aggregates was associated with a shift in chromophore packing from predominantly H-type to J-type aggregates. Time resolved anisotropic investigations revealed that the columnar stacking of molecules in the aggregated state provided a pathway for excitation energy migration to the lower energy J-traps

Amide linkage in novel three-ring bent-core molecular assemblies: polar mesophases and importance of H-bonding

<p>Here, we report the first examples of achiral unsymmetrical three-ring bent-shaped liquid crystals comprising amide and imine linkages with transverse substituents of methyl and chloro moieties on the central phenyl ring in the core, exhibiting polar banana phases. The extensive intra and inter molecular H-bonding induced novel banana mesomorphic phases. One-dimensional stacking in the mesomorphic phase as well as ferroelectric polar order promoted by intermolecular H-bonding of amide linkage is demonstrated. The compounds exhibit multifunctional properties viz., the enantiotropic liquid crystalline (LC) phase at ambient temperatures, electro-optical response, spontaneous polarisation, emission characteristics with large Stokes shift, and even charge distribution with large voltage holding ratio (VHR) values. The smectic type phase was confirmed by XRD studies and polar order was established by switching current and dielectric investigations. DFT studies revealed the importance of their suitability for display applications.</p