Synthesis of achiral rod-shaped triazolic molecules and investigation of their striped texture and propeller-patterned nematic droplets

ABSTRACT

In this study, novel achiral mesogens containing 4,4’-biphenyl central core connected on both sides through an ester function to 1-(4-(alkyloxy)phenyl)-1 H-[1,2,3]-triazolyl group have been synthesised and characterised. Different mesophases have been identified, with the appearance of both a periodic striped pattern and propeller-patterned droplets close to the transition between the nematic and the smectic-C phases. This periodic texture has been found to be independent of the geometry of the sample cell. These observations suggest a spontaneous symmetry breaking, which can result either from an intrinsic enantioselective self-sorting process with a chirality synchronisation mechanism, or from an extrinsic surface mechanism at the interface between the two phases.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Bis-triazole derivatives
• striped patterns
• chiral symmetry breaking
• surface symmetry breaking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

SB and SSB designed and synthesised the compounds, AB performed the molecular simulations, EG and SSB performed the physical characterisations, interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02678292.2023.2201580.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by DGRSDT and CNRS.