Butterfly Mesogens based on Carbazole, Fluorene or Fluorenone: Mesomorphous, Gelling, Photophysical and Photoconducting Properties

A generic synthetic method based on the Suzuki-Scholl reactions was successfully exploited to yield new poly(hetero)aromatic hydrocarbons containing carbazole, fluorene or fluorenone moieties. These butterfly-like mesogens exhibit columnar mesophases, form fibrous gels in various solvents, emit blue to orange light in films and solutions and show outstanding photocurrent behavior with charge carrier mobility in the ∼0.03 cm 2 V −1 s −1 range.