Columnar Liquid-Crystalline Thiophene-Based Molecules Having a Phosphine Oxide Part

Abstract

Here we report on liquid-crystalline properties of new thiophene-based molecules having an ion-responsive phosphine oxide moiety. These molecules exhibit thermotropic hexagonal columnar phases in wide temperature ranges including room temperature. In addition, the incorporation of sodium triflate to these molecules induces the formation of micellar cubic phases by ion-dipole interactions.