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Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Crowded Star Mesogens: Guest-Controlled Stability of Mesophases from Unconventional Liquid-Crystal Molecules
Matthias Lehmann1, Philipp Maier1, Matthias Grüne1
1Institute of Organic Chemistry & Center for Nanosystems Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
Abstract:
The molecular design of crowded hexasubstituted star mesogens based on a benzene core and alternating substitution with oligo(phenylenevinylene) arms and aryl units generates free space between the conjugated arm scaffolds. Various arylcarboxy building blocks, decorated with alkoxy chains, have been incorporated in the void by mixing, hydrogen bonding or covalent bonds to the aryl groups. The mesogens assemble in columnar stacks ranging from soft crystals to rectangular and hexagonal columnar liquid crystals, revealed by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray scattering and modelling. The stability of the mesophases is crucially influenced by the binding mode of the arylcarboxy guest building blocks. The origin of the variation in clearing temperature is unravelled by modelling, cohesive energy density considerations and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The control over the transition temperature is important for the formation of aligned thin films and thus for potential applications.
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