A Family of Amphiphilic Cyclodextrin Liquid Crystals Governed by Dipole–Dipole Interactions

A novel family of amphiphilic cyclodextrin(CD)-based liquid crystals that bear O-acetylated oligoethylene glycol chains at the secondary face has been reported. Unlike most of the previously reported liquid crystals based on chemically modified CDs, which depend on H-bonding as the primary intermolecular forces, the present CD derivatives self-assemble into highly ordered smectic liquid crystal phases via the weaker dipole-dipole intermolecular interactions. The obtained materials are found to possess much improved properties such as improved thermostability, reduced clearing temperatures and better fluidity. The present work opens up new possibilities to design CD-based LC materials thus should stimulate future development of LC materials based on CDs.