Liquid-crystalline metallo-helicates: New pathways for cooperative properties

Recent advances in the fields of liquid crystals and supramolecular chemist ry have led to the discovery of mesomorphic metallo-helicates formed by sel ective complexation of non-mesomorphic oligopyridinic ligands built from fl exible imino-appendages. Different types of mesophases, ranging from column ar to ordered smectic biaxial, have been generated. In cases where the segm ented ligand is adequately engineered, gliding of the coordinated ligands a cross the metal centers present in the emergent dinuclear complex is made p ossible by the provision of ancillary imino binding sites and this behavior facilitates liquid-crystalline proper-ties at room-temperature, after supe rcooling. Furthermore, formation of a mesogenic mixed-valence complex follo wing selective oxidation has been realized. An attempt is made to provide i nsight on how the strategy of using imino-based oligopyridinic scaffolds pe n-nits generation of liquid-crystalline materials with morphologies determi ned by their molecular components.