C. L. Folcia

Banana-shaped liquid crystals: a new field to explore

The recent literature in the field of liquid crystals shows that “banana-shaped” mesogenic materials represent a bewitching and stimulating field of research that is interesting both academically and in terms of applications. Numerous topics are open to investigation in this area because of the rich phenomenology and new possibilities that these materials offer. The principal concepts in this area are reviewed along with recent results. In addition, new directions to stimulate further research activities are highlighted.

Bent-core liquid crystals in a route to efficient organic nonlinear optical materials

The design, synthesis and nonlinear optical (NLO) response of some bent compounds, at both the molecular and macroscopic level, are reported. Based on a bent-core NLO-phore with a μβ0 in the range of 390 × 10−48 esu (1907 nm), the second order susceptibility tensor for second harmonic generation is evaluated at excitation wavelengths of 1064 and 1600 nm in a mesogenic material with a SmCP mesophase. The NLO coefficients are in the range 10–100 pm V−1. Thus it is deduced that a molecular design leading to bent-core liquid crystals with large β values is a correct strategy to achieve NLO-materials for bulk second order effects.

Liquid crystalline and nonlinear optical properties of bent-shaped compounds derived from 3,4'-biphenylene

The synthesis of different bent-core molecules derived from 3,4′-biphenylene bearing azo, azoxy, imine or ester linkages in their lateral structures is reported. Structure–activity relationships for their liquid crystalline behaviour are discussed. SmCP, USmCP and Colob mesophases are found depending on the type and number of these connecting units. The sequence ester ≈ azoxy > imine > azo can be proposed for the mesophase range, with significant differences observed in terms of mesopahase stabilization. SHG studies on these compounds give nonlinear coefficients in the range of 1–8 pm V−1. The molecular origin for these values is analyzed semi-quantitatively. It was concluded that the SHG performance of bent-core mesogens in general can still be increased substantially. An approach to improve the properties of these materials is briefly outlined.

Azo Isocyanide Gold(I) Liquid Crystals, Highly Birefringent and Photosensitive in the Mesophase

Isocyanide ligands bearing an azo group and one alkoxy chain OC(n)H(2n+1) have been synthesized. They are calamitic liquid crystals for n > 4 and display nematic (n = 8, 12) and SmA (n = 12) mesophases. Their gold(I) compounds [AuX(CNR)] (X = Cl, C(6)F(5); R = C(6)H(4)N horizontal lineNC(6)H(4)OC(n)H(2n+1), n = 4, 8, 12) have been obtained by displacement of a weakly coordinated ligand. The chloro gold(I) compounds exhibit nematic (n = 4) and SmA mesophases, and decompose at temperatures higher than 200 degrees C, before reaching the clearing point. The pentafluorophenyl gold(I) compounds show nematic and SmA (n = 12) mesophases. All the derivatives are photosensitive in solution because of trans to cis isomerization of the azo group under UV light, which reverts photochemically or thermally to the trans isomer. Irradiation in the mesophase also induces isomerization with consequent destabilization of the mesophase to an isotropic liquid; the mesophase is recovered as soon as illumination stops. These azo mesogens show high birefringence values, higher for the linear gold complexes than for the free azo ligand.

Second harmonic generation measurements in aligned samples of liquid crystals composed of bent-core molecules

The second-order susceptibility tensor of three liquid crystals composed of banana-shaped molecules has been fully determined. The measurements were carried out in single domain samples, aligned by means of an electric field parallel to the cell surface. Special care was taken with the appropriate determination of the index mismatch between the fundamental and second harmonic waves. This was achieved by using samples of different thickness. This parameter is very important for obtaining reliable values of the second order susceptibility tensor components, and is seldom directly measured. The suitability of the experimental procedure was checked by comparing the results obtained for the reference compound P-8-O-PIMB with previously reported measurements for this material. The dij coefficients obtained in this work are in the range 1–4 pm V−1 and are compared with other values obtained in previous reports.

Alignment of Palladium Complexes into Columnar Liquid Crystals Driven by Peripheral Triphenylene Substituents

A new triphenylene-imine (ImH) and its ortho-palladated complexes (μ-X)2[Pd2Im2] (X = CH3COO(-), Cl(-), Br(-)), (μ-Cl)(μ-SCnH2n+1)[Pd2Im2] (n = 6, 12), [PdIm(acac)] [PdIm Cl(CNC6H4OC12H25)], [PdImCl(CNC6H3(OC12H25)2)], and [PdImCl(CNC6H2(OC12H25)3)] have been prepared. The free imine ligand is not a liquid crystal, but most ortho-metalated dinuclear palladium complexes and the mononuclear trialkoxyphenyl isocyanide derivative display columnar mesophases at temperatures close to ambient. For the dimeric complexes the mesophase obtained is always columnar rectangular (Colr), with an uncommon structure: the dimeric triphenylene-Pd complex-triphenylene molecules give rise to a triple-column stacking consisting of two columns of stacked triphenylene groups connected to a central column formed by stacking of two ortho-palladated dimeric moieties. For the trialkoxyphenyl isocyanide derivative a related polymer-like arrangement of columns alternating stacking of triphenylenes with stacking of two ortho-palladated dimeric moieties is found. The mesophase structure is columnar oblique (Colob). The free imine and all palladium complexes exhibit fluorescence at room temperature in dichloromethane solution, associated with the triphenylene core.

“Click chemistry” as a versatile route to synthesize and modulate bent-core liquid crystalline materials

Three series of bent-shaped compounds containing the 1,2,3-triazole ring in the central core of the molecule have been prepared by the most extended “click chemistry” reaction, the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). This research demonstrates the versatility of this synthetic approach with the aim of achieving innovative compact supramolecular organizations. The appropriate combination of the 1,2,3-triazole synthon linked either to a methylene unit (series M) or to a methylenoxycarbonyl block (series MC) has allowed the induction of a variety of non-classical bent-core liquid crystal phases versus the classic mesophases promoted by 1,4-diphenyl-1,2,3-triazole derivatives (series T). Through a suitable selection of common lateral structures connected by “click chemistry” both the transition temperatures and mesomorphism, ranging from lamellar to columnar or B4-like supramolecular liquid crystalline organizations, can be tuned.

Non-linear optical properties of metallorganic ferroelectric liquid crystals

Second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiencies d eff were determined for Pt-containing ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs). A relatively simple method is presented which allows for the simultaneous determination of the second order susceptibility tensor coefficients d ij together with the dispersion and birefringence at the fundamental frequency. The relation between the d ij coefficients is qualitatively interpreted in terms of the molecular shape and of a scheme proposed for the molecular orientation in the ferroelectric phase. Contrary to the usual situation with calamitics, d 23 is much higher than the rest of the coefficients. This peculiarity, which reflects the 3D character of the molecular response, is interesting since d 23 is directly involved in d eff for phase matched SHG.

Temperature dependence of the second-order susceptibility in calamitic ferroelectric liquid crystals

The dij coefficients of the second-order susceptibility tensor for second harmonic generation were detemined for a calamitic ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) specifically designed for applications in non-linear optics. The measurements were performed at different temperatures in the SmC* phase. In accordance with the design methodology of these materials, the coefficient along the polar axis d22 is the greatest, and depicts an expected behaviour in the whole range of the ferroelectric phase. On the other hand, the temperature dependence of d21, d23, and d25, is anomalous to some extent, including a sign inversion of d23 at a certain temperature. These results, which contrast with those reported recently for non-calamitic FLCs, were qualitatively interpreted in the light of different conformations which, by virtue of plausible distortions of the molecular core, could coexist in the sample.

H-Bonded Donor–Acceptor Units Segregated in Coaxial Columnar Assemblies: Toward High Mobility Ambipolar Organic Semiconductors

A novel approach to ambipolar semiconductors based on hydrogen-bonded complexes between a star-shaped tris(triazolyl)triazine and triphenylene-containing benzoic acids is described. The formation of 1:3 supramolecular complexes was evidenced by different techniques. Mesogenic driving forces played a decisive role in the formation of the hydrogen-bonded complexes in the bulk. All of the complexes formed by nonmesogenic components gave rise to hexagonal columnar (Colh) liquid crystal phases, which are stable at room temperature. In all cases, X-ray diffraction experiments supported by electron density distribution maps confirmed triphenylene/tris(triazolyl)triazine segregation into hexagonal sublattices and lattices, respectively, as well as remarkable intracolumnar order. These highly ordered nanostructures, obtained by the combined supramolecular H-bond/columnar liquid crystal approach, yielded donor/acceptor coaxial organization that is promising for the formation of ambipolar organic semiconductors with high mobilities, as indicated by charge transport measurements.