Synthesis of Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystalline Ionic Liquids and Their Application to Asymmetric Electrochemical Polymerization

Abstract

Liquid crystalline ionic liquids (LCILs) containing a imidazolium cation moiety with various types of counter ions were synthesized. The characterizations of LCILs were achieved by polarizing optical microscope (POM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Chirality induction was achieved by adding axially chiral dopant to nematic LCILs (N-LCILs). The chiral N-LCILs (N*-LCILs) were applied as asymmetric solvents to an electrochemical polymerization for synthesis of helical poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (H-PEDOT). Because LCILs have ionic conductivity, no external supporting electrolyte is required in the electrochemical polymerization using the LCILs. This advantage of LCILs makes it much easier to optimize polymerization parameters and conditions.