Polysubstituted N-arylcarbazoles as discotic molecules

The mesophase behaviour of 9-phenylcarbazole derivatives with five, six and seven alkyl chains attached to the aromatic core is described. The compoun d with seven alkyl chains displays liquid crystalline behaviour at room tem parature, while those with five and six nine-carbon alkyl chains present a columnar liquid crystal phase at room temperature when doped with TNF, as c onfirmed by optical polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetr y and X-ray diffraction.