POTASSIUM-SALTS OF ACYLATED AMINO-ACIDS AS CHIRAL DOPANTS AND HOSTS IN THE FORMATION OF AMPHIPHILIC CHOLESTERIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS

Several potassium salts of acylated amino acids have been synthesized. These chiral detergents have been used in the preparation of Amphiphi lic Cholesteric Liquid Crystals (ACLC), both as chiral dopants and as chiral hosts. These ACLC samples have been characterised by laser diff raction twist measurements as well as by polar microscopy. L-KDDA (C-1 2 alaninate) was found to be the optimum chiral dopant. L-KDDA and L-K TDA (C-14 alaninate) were found to be the most efficient chiral hosts. Where L-KTDA was much more effective at low decanol concentrations. U sing polar microscopy, the optical rotation along the helix axis was f ound to be positive in all cases.