Liquid crystals based on fluorinated carbohydrates

Fluorine introduced in the hydrophilic or the hydrophobic region of amphiph iles influences the thermomesomorphy of amphiphilic and monophilic fluorosu gars in a very specific manner. This paper is the first review about chiral mesogens based on fluorinated carbohydrates. It covers the literature publ ished so far. Analytical objectives are given to: (i) Effects of fluorine a toms on the H-bonding network of the hydrophilic region of sugar amphiphile s; (ii) Effects of perfluoroalkyl chains compared to alkyl chains; (iii) Po lymorphism, e.g., also formation of smectic S-C* phases. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.