Polarized emission in highly luminescent room temperature columnar metallomesogens based on Zn(ii) metal centre.

The synthesis, as well as the mesomorphic and electrochemical properties, of a hetero-bimetallic coordination complex able to self-assemble into a columnar liquid crystalline phase is reported herein. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Electrochemical properties were explored by cyclic voltammetry (CV), relating the hetero-bimetallic complex behaviour to previously reported analogous monometallic Zn(II) compounds. The obtained results highlight how the presence of the second metal centre and the supramolecular arrangement in the condensed state pilot the function and properties of the new hetero-bimetallic Zn/Fe coordination complex.

The synthesis and structural characterization of a new liquid crystalline coordination complex based on pentacoordinated Zn(II) metal centre with the coordination fulfilled by the tridentate chelating N^N^N 2,2’;6’,2”-terpyridine ligand and two monoanionic gallates decorated with several long alkyl chains is described. The mesomorphic properties were accurately investigated by small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering studies. Despite the bulky coordination around the metal centre, the complex self-organizes into a smectic phase and, based on the structural and geometrical parameters, a model for the supramolecular organization in the liquid crystalline phase is proposed. Electrochemical investigations showed the importance of the molecular structure of the coordination complex in enhancing its aqueous sensing capacities: the bulky organic ligands form an organic shell separating the metal centres and favouring the redox system through their reduction followed by stripping.

Hetero-bimetallic liquid crystalline materials (Bi-MMs), exhibiting a single Colhex mesophase, were obtained by simple chemical blending between two structurally-related Cu(II) and Zn(II) metallomesogens (MMs) based on 1,10-phenanthroline and two chelating...