Abstract
Recently, we have focused on developing supramolecular liquid-crystalline (LC) materials based on biomolecules. Here we report on chiral columnar liquid crystals of oligo(glutamic acid) derivatives having pyrene moieties. One-dimensionally organized columns containing pyrene inside are expected as functional materials with photo- and electronic properties. The compounds form chiral columnar liquid crystals in which helically stacked pyrenes are involved. Charge-transfer complexes of pyrene derivatives and electron acceptor molecules (2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone, TNF) show LC structures over wide temperature ranges by alternate stacking. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds of glutamic acid parts play important roles in stabilizing mesophases, and in transferring supramolecular chirality.
