Effect of a Chiral Group on Gel and Liquid Crystal Formation

Abstract

Four kinds of esters combined 2-oxochromen-6-ol and 3H-2-oxopyran-5-ol with (S)-4-(2,6-dimethylheptyloxy)benzoate and (S)-4-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)benzoate exhibit smectic A phase and simultaneously can gelate several organic solvents. The gel fibers were characterized by XRD and SEM observations and circular dichroism. It is clarified that the Cotton effect and the sign are closely correlated with the helical structure and molecular properties such as the absolute configuration of the chiral atom and the carbon number between ether oxygen and chiral carbon. The correlation between the fine structure of gel fibers and the layer structure of the smectic A phase will be discussed.