First columnar discotic liquid crystalline anthraquinone metal complexes

Abstract

In this communication we present the synthesis and characterization of the rst two members of a new class of metallomesogen. The Pd and Cu complexes of 1-hydroxy-2,3,5,6,7-pentakis- (dodecyloxy)anthra-9,10-quinone were prepared by reacting the respective metal(II) acetate with the ligand. Preliminary mesophase characterization by DSC and polarizing optical microscopy indicates the formation of columnar mesophases in both the complexes.