Electro-optic switching by helicene liquid crystals

Binary mixtures of the aggregating helicene 1 with dodecane have, at dodecane concentrations >30 vol %, a nematic liquid crystalline phase and, at dodecane concentrations less than or similar to5 vol %, a hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline phase. The helical structure with donor and acceptor groups at opposite ends gives rise to a molecular dipole moment that is parallel to the helix axis and a positive dielectric anisotropy. Accordingly, the helix axes orient parallel to an applied electric field, providing the basis for electro-optic switching.