Low molar mass thieno[3,2-b] and thieno[2,3-b]thiophenes in liquid crystal materials science: recent synthetic approaches

Abstract

One of us (AJS) was fortunate enough to have known Professor George Gray during his final years of teaching at the University of Hull. In 1989, I was finishing my undergraduate studies when I sat in George's class entitled Proteins and Polypeptides. I was in awe of George, as were all students in the class, but struck by his down-to-earth demeanour, warmth, approachability and his soft Scottish accent (I still have the notes I took from his class). George was a truly inspirational teacher to everyone who knew him and I consider it a great privilege to have known him. During my time at Hull I became fascinated with thiophene-containing liquid crystals, my interest being strongly influenced by George Gray, Ken Toyne and Mike Scrowston. This manuscript is my small tribute to George and it describes our new methodological developments in the synthesis of low molar mass liquid crystals that contain the thieno[3,2-b]thiophene and thieno[2,3-b]thiophene cores.

Keywords:

• thieno[3,2-b]thiophene
• thieno[2,3-b]thiophene
• smectic C, high birefringence

Additional information

Funding

Financial support from Kent State University, a Research Incentive Grant from the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), and KSU’s REU-NSF program is gratefully acknowledged.