Self-organization of discogenic molecules at the air-water interface

Abstract

The behavior of several species of discogenic molecules at the air-waterinterface has been determined by measuring surface pressure vs. moleculararea isotherms. Alkylthiotriphenylene derivatives do not appear toform monolayers at the interfaces, due to lack of amphiphilic character.Two truxene derivatives were found to display molecular areas onthe order of 65 angstrom 2, most likely due to the molecules lying<< edge-on >> to the water surface. Hexacyclens generally lie withthe core group parallel to the surface of the water with the tailgroups extending away from the interface ; a higher density phasemay correspond to conformational changes within the molecule.