Calixarene Functionalized Supramolecular Liquid Crystals and Their Diverse Applications

Liquid crystals are considered to be the fourth state of matter with an intermediate order and fluidity in comparison to solids and liquids. Calixarenes are among one of the most versatile families of building blocks for supramolecular chemistry due to their unique vaselike structure that can be diemically engineered to have different shapes and sizes. During the last few decades, calixarenes have drawn much attention in the field of supramolecular diemistry due to their diverse applications in the fields of ion and molecular recognition, ion- selective electrodes for catalysis, drug delivery, gelation, organic electronics and sensors, etc. Imbuing liquid crystallinity to the calixarene framework leads to functionalized calixarene derivatives with fluidity and order. Columnar self-assembly of such derivatives in particular enhance the charge migration along the column due to the 1D stacking due to the enhanced pi-pi overlap. Considering limited reports and reviews on this new class of calixarene based liquid crystals, a comprehensive account of the synthesis of calixarene liquid crystals along with their mesomorphic behavior and potential applications are presented in this review.

Automated summary

Liquid crystals, characterized by intermediate order and fluidity between solids and liquids, have drawn significant attention in the field of supramolecular chemistry. Among the versatile building blocks, calixarenes stand out due to their unique structure and diverse applications. Introducing liquid crystallinity to calixarene framework enables the synthesis of functionalized derivatives with fluidity and order, enhancing charge migration. This review provides a comprehensive account of the synthesis, behavior, and potential applications of calixarene-based liquid crystals.