Amphiphilic α-cyanostilbene mesogens with oligooxyethylene polar tails: syntheses and properties

A series of amphiphilic rodlike α-cyanostilbene mesogens bearing an α-cyanostilbene core, with one/three lipophilic and flexible alkyl chains at one end and a polar oligooxyethylene (EO) at the opposite end, have been synthesized and investigated by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence as well as CV measurements. These compounds can self-assemble into photoresponsive liquid crystalline phases and possess AIEE characteristics, mechanofluorochromic properties and Fe3+ recognition properties. The conductivity of the lithium cation complex was also measured to be 2.6 × 10−7 S m−1. Such compounds can be considered as a kind of multifunctional materials.