(Amino)cyclotriphosphazenes
have been used as new scaffolds for
the synthesis of silver(I) metallomesogens. Two cyclotriphosphazenes,
[N3P3(NHCy)6] (phos-1) and nongem-trans-[N3P3(NHCy)3(NMe2)3] (phos-2), were
reacted with the silver complex having a pro-mesogenic ligand, [Ag(OTf)L]
(L = CNC6H4{OC(O)C6H2(3,4,5-(OC10H21)3)}-4; OTf = OSO2CF3), in different molar ratios, 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3, to give two
series of cationic metallophosphazenes, [N3P3(NHCy)6{AgL}
n
](TfO)
n
(phos-1.n
) and nongem-trans-[N3P3(NHCy)3(NMe2)3{AgL}
n
](TfO)
n
(phos-2.n
)
with n = 1, 2, or 3. The chemical structure of these
compounds, deduced from spectroscopic techniques, was in accordance
with coordination of the silver fragments “AgL” to nitrogen
atoms of the phosphazene ring, whereby their number n depends on the molar ratio used. Despite the presence of the bulky
substituents on the core N atoms, cyclotriphosphazenes coordinated
to three “AgL” units exhibited mesomorphism at room
temperature. The mesophase was characterized as columnar hexagonal
according to the optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies.
A model based on an intermolecular association in pairs of the metallocyclotriphosphazenes
having three AgL units has been proposed in order to explain the mesomorphic
columnar arrangement in these materials. Starting silver complex,
[Ag(OTf)L], also exhibited a columnar hexagonal mesophase at room
temperature.