Room temperature liquid crystal of symmetric gallic trimer containing cyanuric core: synthesis and mesomorphism

Abstract

Three novel gallic monomer 7, dimer 10 and trimer 12 with conjugated cyanuric core were designed and synthesised by Schiff-base condensation mode in yields of 80–90%. Their structures were characterised by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and elemental analyses. Their mesomorphic behaviours were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The gallic monomer 7 has no mesomorphic property, but the dimer 10 and trimer 12 possess good mesomorphic properties. The trimer 12 with high symmetry exhibited the typical hexagonal columnar liquid crystal at room temperature. The temperature range of mesophase is as wide as 149°C (14–163°C). The results suggested that the more gallic units and symmetric structures are favourable for excellent mesomorphic properties.

Keywords:

• gallic
• cyanuric
• trimer
• mesophase
• synthesis

Additional information

Funding

Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [21406036], Fujian Natural Science Foundation of China [2014J01034], Fujian Province Science and Technology Key Project [2014N0025] and the Program for Innovative Research Team in Science and Technology in Fujian Province University are greatly acknowledged.