A novel approach to ambipolar semiconductors based on hydrogen-bonded complexes between a star-shaped tris(triazolyl)triazine and triphenylene-containing benzoic acids is described. The formation of 1:3 supramolecular complexes was evidenced by different techniques. Mesogenic driving forces played a decisive role in the formation of the hydrogen-bonded complexes in the bulk. All of the complexes formed by nonmesogenic components gave rise to hexagonal columnar (Colh) liquid crystal phases, which are stable at room temperature. In all cases, X-ray diffraction experiments supported by electron density distribution maps confirmed triphenylene/tris(triazolyl)triazine segregation into hexagonal sublattices and lattices, respectively, as well as remarkable intracolumnar order. These highly ordered nanostructures, obtained by the combined supramolecular H-bond/columnar liquid crystal approach, yielded donor/acceptor coaxial organization that is promising for the formation of ambipolar organic semiconductors with high mobilities, as indicated by charge transport measurements.

A star-shaped tris(triazolyl)triazine is shown to establish hydrogen-bond interactions with polycatenar benzoic acids. The formation of hydrogen-bonded triazine/acid complexes has been demonstrated both in solution and in bulk by different techniques. The complexes, mainly formed by nonmesogenic components, all show enantiotropic hexagonal columnar mesomorphism, which relies on the formation of hydrogen-bond complexes in a triazine/acid ratio of 1:3. This approach combines the straightforward synthesis of a nonmesomorphic triazine core by click chemistry, and the preparation of a supramolecular complex, providing a much more convenient route than covalent synthesis to modify the periphery of triazine discotics and thus to modulate their functionality.

Fully consistent X-ray data and molecular dynamics simulations on new star-shaped liquid crystals yield two nanosegregated architectures with a coaxial stacking of two functional discotic units: tris(triazolyl)triazine and triphenylene. Analysis of lattice order along the principal axes reveals preferential staggered arrangement of the stacked molecules in the columnar assembly.