Calixarene Functionalized Supramolecular Liquid Crystals and Their Diverse Applications

Abstract

Liquid crystals are considered to be the fourth state of matter with an intermediate order and fluidity in comparison to solids and liquids. Calixarenes are among one of the most versatile families of building blocks for supramolecular chemistry due to their unique vaselike structure that can be chemically engineered to have different shapes and sizes. During the last few decades, calixarenes have drawn much attention in the field of supramolecular chemistry due to their diverse applications in the fields of ion and molecular recognition, ionselective electrodes for catalysis, drug delivery, gelation, organic electronics and sensors, etc. Imbuing liquid crystallinity to the calixarene framework leads to functionalized calixarene derivatives with fluidity and order. Columnar self-assembly of such derivatives in particular enhance the charge migration along the column due to the 1D stacking due to the enhanced π−π overlap. Considering limited reports and reviews on this new class of calixarene based liquid crystals, a comprehensive account of the synthesis of calixarene liquid crystals along with their mesomorphic behavior and potential applications are presented in this review.

Ionic Liquid Crystalline Calixarene with Photo‐Switchable Proton Conduction

“…[1][2][3][4] Liquid crystal (LC) calixarenes represent an attractive option for the design of functional self-organized materials because they combine the inherent properties of the calixarene macrocycle with the anisotropic properties provided by the LC state. [5,6] LC calixarenes are usually prepared by covalent functionalization of the narrow and/or wide rims of the calixarene with pro-mesogenic units. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Although supramolecular approaches based on molecular recognition have been less often considered, they provide distinctive advantages rising from the facile but reliable preparation when compared to entirely covalent systems, which usually require time consuming synthetic procedures.…”

“…Calixarenes are an important class of macrocycles that offer a wealth of opportunities for materials chemists due to the well‐established synthetic procedures for their functionalization, their bowl shape, and their host‐guest chemistry [1–4] . Liquid crystal (LC) calixarenes represent an attractive option for the design of functional self‐organized materials because they combine the inherent properties of the calixarene macrocycle with the anisotropic properties provided by the LC state [5,6] . LC calixarenes are usually prepared by covalent functionalization of the narrow and/or wide rims of the calixarene with pro‐mesogenic units [7–16] .…”

A Quenched Fluorescence‐based Assay for Selective Detection of Nitroaromatic Compounds using Pyrene‐Appended Oxacalix[4]arene Host

“…Calixarene, a part of the third generation of supramolecular compounds, has found widespread use in a variety of fields, including molecular recognition, the production of materials, supramolecular self‐assembly, and catalysis [7,8] . With its one‐of‐a‐kind structure and capabilities, calixarene becomes an ideal structural platform today for receptors by incorporating diverse functional groups of recognition capabilities [9,10] . Various research reports about calixarene as an ion sensor have provided a breakthrough for the detection of various ions [11,12] .…”

“…[7,8] With its one-of-a-kind structure and capabilities, calixarene becomes an ideal structural platform today for receptors by incorporating diverse functional groups of recog-nition capabilities. [9,10] Various research reports about calixarene as an ion sensor have provided a breakthrough for the detection of various ions. [11,12] In recent years, there has been a development in the detection of nitroaromatic compounds by the use of calixarene.…”

A low dielectric constant material synergized by calix[4]arene and benzocyclobutene units

“…Therefore, calixarene derivatives have considerable application prospects in the fields of materials science, biology, environment, and information. [28][29][30] For example, some researchers have introduced calixarene into high-temperature resistant thermosetting resins. 31 However, research on calixarene-based low-k materials is still absent.…”