Columnar Liquid Crystalline Corannulenes: Synthesis, Assembly and Charge-Carrier Transport Properties

Main observation and conclusion Two discotic liquid crystalline (LC) molecules consisting of a bowl-shaped corannulene core and five-fold photoactive azobenzene branches with different paraffinic side chains were developed. Their self-assembly, photo-responsive behavior and charge-carrier transport properties were investigated in detail. A wider mesophase temperature range was achieved when utilizing longer and furcal flexible side chain substitution. 2D XRD measurements revealed the pi-packed corannulene-centered 1b (i.e., with furcal side alkoxyl chains) exhibited helical columnar LC phase. This packing structure also led to a higher hole charge carrier mobility of 7.07 x 10(-2) cm(2)center dot V-1 center dot s(-1) compared to that of the counterpart 1a with linear side chain substitutions.

Automated summary

The research developed two discotic liquid crystalline molecules with a bowl-shaped corannulene core and photoactive azobenzene branches, and studied their self-assembly, photo-responsive behavior, and charge-carrier transport properties. It was found that utilizing longer and furcal flexible side chain substitutions can achieve a wider mesophase temperature range and higher hole charge carrier mobility. The pi-packed corannulene-centered molecule exhibited a helical columnar liquid crystalline phase with enhanced charge carrier mobility compared to the counterpart with linear side chain substitutions.