Generation of stable chiral Mesophases from achiral molecules in the nematic phase of benzoic acid derivatives

Abstract

Chiral propeller-patterned textures were generated spontaneously from achiral benzoic acid derivatives possessing diethyleneoxide tails. The length of the oligoethylene oxide tail is crucial to the spontaneous construction of a chiral nematic phase. Chiral 1-phenylethylamine was found to be an effective dopant for chiral induction.