Synthesis and Liquid Crystals Properties of α-Methylated Galactosides

Due to the amphiphilicity nature of glycolipids, some are known to exhibits liquid crystals phases both in thermotropic and lyotropic phases. Six different glycolipids have been synthesized using three steps process and their structures have been characterized by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR in acetylated and deacytelated forms. Their liquid crystals properties were studied using optical polarising microscopy (OPM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of α-methylated tails is comparedwith those of the straight chain glycolipids. The epimeric effect of the hydroxyl group at the C-4 of the sugar group was also commented.