Chemistry of Discotic Liquid Crystals

The self-contained properties of discotic liquid crystals (DLCs) render them powerful functional materials for many semiconducting device applications and models for energy and charge migration in self-organized dynamic functional soft materials. The past three decades have seen tremendous interest in this area, fueled primarily by the possibility of creating a new generation of organic semiconductors and wide viewing displays using DLCs. While a number of books on classical calamitic liquid crystals are available, there are, as yet, no books that are dedicated exclusively to the basic design principles, synthesis, and physical properties of DLCs.
The first reference book to cover DLCs, Chemistry of Discotic Liquid Crystals: From Monomers to Polymers highlights the chemistry and thermal behavior of DLCs. Divided into six chapters, each with a general description, background, and context for the concepts involved, the book begins with a basic introduction to liquid crystals, describing molecular self-assembly and various types of liquid crystals. It outlines their classification, covers their history and general applications, and focuses on DLCs and their discovery, structure, characterization, and alignment.
The book goes on to examine the chemistry and physical properties of various monomeric DLCs, including 25 sections describing the synthesis and mesomorphic properties of monomeric DLCs formed by different cores. The bulk of the book covers the chemistry and mesomorphism of discotic dimers, oligomers, and polymers and concludes with a look at some applicable properties of DLCs.
A comprehensive and up-to-date resource, this book is designed to be accessible and of value not just for students and researchers but also to the directors and principal investigators working in this field, providing the foundation and fuel to advance this fast-growing technological field.

Sandeep Kumar

Introduction. Self-Organization of Molecules and Liquid Crystals. Brief History of Liquid Crystals. Classification of Liquid Crystals. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals. Thermotropic Liquid Crystals. Calamitic Liquid Crystals. Bent-Core Liquid Crystals. Discotic Liquid Crystals. Structure of the Nematic Phases of Discotic Mesogens. Smectic Phases of Discotic Mesogens. Columnar Phases of Discotic Mesogens. Cubic Phase. Alignment of Discotic Liquid Crystals. Monomeric Discotic Liquid Crystals. Benzene Core. Naphthalene Core. Phenanthrene Core. Anthraquinone Core. Pyrene Core. Triphenylene Core. Perylene Core. Dibenzo[g,p]chrysene Core. Dibenzo[ fg,op]naphthacene Core. Truxene Core. Decacyclene Core. Hexabenzocoronene Core. Macrocyclic Cores. Miscellaneous Aromatic Cores. Triazine Core. Phenazines. Hexaazatriphenylene Core. Heterotruxenes. Tricycloquinazoline Core. Porphyrin Core. Porphyrazine Core. Phthalocyanine Core. Miscellaneous Discotic Metallomesogens. Miscellaneous Heterocyclic Cores. Non-Aromatic Cores. scotic Dimers. nzene-Based Discotic Dimers. ylloinositol Dimer. scotic Dimers Derived from Pyranose Sugars. figallol-Based Discotic Dimers. iphenylene-Based Discotic Dimers. clotetraveratrylene Dimer. thalocyanine-Based Discotic Dimers. rphyrin Double-Deckers. xabenzocoronene-Based Dimers. scotic Oligomers. scotic Trimers. Discotic Tetramers. Discotic Pentamers. Discotic Hexamers. Star-Shaped Discotic Heptamers. Discotic Polymers. Benzene-Based Discotic Polymers. Alkynylbenzene-Based Discotic Polymers. Rufigallol-Based Main-Chain Discotic Polymers. Triphenylene-Based Polymers. Cyclotetraveratrylene-Based Polymers. Phthalocyanine-Based Polymers. Hexabenzocoronene-Based Polymers. Perspectives. Discotics for Wide Viewing Displays. Discotics for High-Quality Carbon Products. Discotic Liquid Crystals as Materials for a New Generation of Organic Electronics. Discotic Solar Cells. Discotic Liquid Crystals as Organic Light-Emitting Diode Materials. Discotic Field Effect Transistors