Bowl liquid crystal based on cyclotriveratrylene derivatives with multiple triphenylene units: The influences of the numbers of triphenylene units on mesomorphic behaviors

Series of novel CTV derivatives with one, two and three triphenylene units were designed and synthesized via click reaction in 72-84% yields. The influences of the numbers of triphenylene units on mesomorphic behaviors were investigated. The results suggested that one triphenylene unit could not counteract the rigidity of CTV skeleton, resulting in no mesophase for CTV derivative 6 with one triphenylene unit. The strong induction of more triphenylene units leaded to the mesophase for CTV derivative 7 with two triphenylene units and 8 with three triphenylene units. The more triphenylene units decreased the phase transition temperatures. The XRD analysis suggested that compound 8 possessed higher ordered hexagonal columnar mesophase than compound 7, implying that the more triphenylene units were favorable for improving the structural symmetry and produced the ordered columnar stacking. Compound 8 was the first example of high ordered hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline molecule based on CTV skeleton.