Synthesis, mesophase behaviour and design principles for discotic liquid crystals of phenyl ethynylene macrocycles with intraannular flexible chains

摘要

The synthesis of novel phenyl ethynylene macrocycles with intraannular flexible chains is described. Some of these macrocycles are found by polarised optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry to be liquid crystals with nematic mesophases. The influence of the number, length and type (polarity) of the intraannular substituents on mesophase behaviour is discussed and additional design principles are proposed for these macrocycles with an inverted structure for mesophase behaviour to be observed, based on the experimental results, previous work and computer simulation data.