Synthesis and liquid crystallinity of fullerodendron having cyanobiphenyl groups at the terminals

Abstract

Liquid-crystalline fullerodendron having cyanobiphenyl terminals was synthesized via Diels-Alder reaction of corresponding anthryl dendron and C60. The liquid-crystalline properties of the fullerodendron was investigated by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Interestingly, the fullerodendron give rise to thermotropic smectic B phase, in which the hexagonal packing arrangement of C60 moiety is observed.