Olefin Cross-Metathesis: a Versatile Synthetic Reaction for the Design of Janus Liquid Crystals

The olefin cross-metathesis reaction using the second-generation Grubbs catalyst was employed to prepare non-symmetrical thermotropic liquid crystals from various mesomorphic or nonmesomorphic type I and type II olefinic constructs, including linear, chiral, dendritic and ferrocenyl olefins. Smectic C, smectic A and nematic phases, as well as chiral smectic A and chiral nematic phases were observed in agreement with the structure and nature of the mesogens. The olefin cross-metathesis proved to be a valuable chemical reaction in designing dimeric and <i>Janus</i>-like thermotropic liquid crystals built from two different molecular entities.