Abstract
General liquid crystals have a rod-like or disk-like rigid core and flexible long chains in the periphery. However, about 100 years ago, in 1911, Vorlander reported liquid crystalline properties of alkali metal carboxylates having neither a rigid core in the center nor flexible long chains in the surroundings. These liquid crystalline compounds have long been forgotten to clarify the mesophase structures. Here we have revealed these mesophase structures for the first time. The molecular shapes are "flying-seed-like" and they exhibit very unique mesophase structures.
