A liquid-crystalline fullerene–oligophenylenevinylene dyad which displays columnar mesomorphism

The design, synthesis and liquid-crystalline properties of a family of hybrid compounds which are built from rod-like (oligophenylenevinylene) and disc-like [poly(benzyl ether)] units are reported. All compounds form columnar phases within broad temperature ranges; the mesophases are stable even below room temperature. Weak photovoltaic effect was observed for the C₆₀–OPV dyad. For the molecule having a terminal OH group, frustration of the hexagonal packing was observed and gave rise to a rare phase sequence. For this material, a columnar phase with trigonal symmetry and doubling of the crystallographic lattice was found below the hexagonal columnar phase.