Induction of nematic cholesteric (N∗) phases by charge transfer complexation of disc-shaped multiynes [1]

Abstract

Based on charge transfer interactions with the (chiral) electron acceptor (-)-2-(2,4,5,7-tetranitro-9-fluorenylidenaminooxy)propionic acid ((-)-TAPA), our easily accessible disc-shaped electron rich multiynes (for example, 1 and 2) give rise to two types of cholesteric nematic phases. Thus, the binary mixture of the nematic discotic (N_D) pentakis-(4-methylphenylethynyl)phenyl hexadecyl ether (2) with (-)-TAPA exhibits its twisted variant (N∗_D). Likewise, but now in a ternary mixture, the homologue 1—peripherically unsubstituted and non-mesogenic—with the two electron acceptors (-)- TAPA and 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone—both also non-liquid crystalline—shows cholesteric nematic properties, most probably however of a columnar type (N∗_C). First results concerning these charge transfer induced cholesteric-nematic properties, including phase diagrams and the helical twist of the two systems presented here, are discussed on the basis of data obtained by polarizing microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry.