A Ferrocene-Containing Carbohydrate Surfactant:  Thermotropic and Lyotropic Phase Behavior

A ferrocene-containing carbohydrate surfactant has been synthesized and shown by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction to exhibit both thermotropic and lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase behavior. This new class of materials should prove useful for the design of redox-active lyotropic liquid crystals, allowing fine electrochemical control of the phase structure and symmetry.