Room temperature columnar 1,2,4-triazole core

A new type of five-membered heterocyclic 1,2,4-triazoles (1-5) with various substituents on the N-4 position, such as benzyl, phenyl or n-alkyl groups , utilized as core group to generate room temperature columnar mesophases i s reported. The presence of lone pair electrons on the nitrogen atoms and/o r nonplanarity in this type of heterocyclic structure might be responsible for the formation of the columnar mesophases and the resulting lower meltin g and clearing temperatures.