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Abstract
The synthesis of new discotic liquid crystals and the study of self-assembly behaviours are important for the supramolecular chemistry and organic electronics. Six new truxenone discogens 7a–f with different alkyl chain substitution patterns were synthesised and all exhibited only one three-dimensional ordered hexagonal columnar mesophase with wide temperature ranges including room temperature, which were characterised with polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The self-assembly behaviours in solutions were studied by using concentration-variation 1H NMR and scanning electron microscopy. The two-dimensional ordered self-assembly of 7c and 7f on the liquid–solid interface of highly oriented pyrolytical graphite were imaged by scanning tunnelling microscopy, and the results showed that the two-dimensional monolayer self-assembled structures on the atomically flat surfaces can be controlled by the peripheral alkyl chain substitution patterns.
Funding
The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [grant number 51273133], [grant number 51073112], [grant number 50973076].
Supplemental data
The experimental; synthesis and characterisations of the intermediates and target compounds; 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra; The HOMO and LUMO of the hexakis(methoxy)truxenone. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.
