Molecularengineering of discotic nematic liquid crystals

Connecting two columnar phase forming discotic mesogens via a short rigid spacer leads to the formation of a π-conjugated discotic dimer snowing discotic nematic (ND) phase. Attaching branched-alkyl chains directly to the core in hexaalkynylbenzene resulted in the stabilisation of ND phase at ambient temperature. Pentalkynylbenzene derivatives possessing a combination of normal- and branched-alkoxy chains display a very broad ND, phase which is stable well below and above the room temperature.