Ionic liquid crystals: Synthesis and characterization via NMR, DSC, POM, X-ray diffraction and ionic conductivity of asymmetric viologen bistriflimide salts

A series of asymmetric viologen bistriflimide salts of both short and long alkyl chains were synthesized by the metathesis reaction of lithium triflimide salt with the respective asymmetric viologen dibromide salts in methanol. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and variable temperature X-ray diffraction techniques. These salts melt into highly-ordered smectic T phases that is, crystal-to SmT transitions (T(m)s)) at relatively low temperatures (lowest T-m at -12 degrees C) and maintain liquid crystallinity in a wide range of temperatures (8-132 degrees C), with excellent thermal stabilities up to 320 degrees C as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. These results differ with respect to the symmetric viologen bistriflimide salts. Ionic conductivity of these salts was also measured by dielectric impedance spectroscopy and found to be in the 10(-2.5) S cm(-1) range, highlighting their potential as electrolytes at room temperature. Crown Copyright (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.