RUI: Guerbet Alcohols as Mesogen-Inducing Groups: Synthesis and Characterization of Bipyridine-Based Metallomesogens

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). In this RUI project funded by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division and the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program of the Division of Materials Research, Robert Bachman of Sewanee: The University of the South will synthesize and study new metallomesogens: liquid crystal forming metal complexes. The promise of combining the useful properties of metal complexes with those of liquid crystals has led to a longstanding interest in metallomesogens. These materials are a technologically important class of compounds impacting many industries. The complexes targeted in this work will use metal-metal interactions to both assist in the formation of liquid crystalline phases and impart novel properties, such as intense luminescence or conductive behavior, to the materials. Guerbet alcohols, which are potent suppressors of crystallinity, will play a key role in stabilizing the liquid crystalline phase at low (ambient) temperature while allowing for the targeted metal-metal interactions to occur. Sewanee has been reintroducing research training into the education of its science undergraduates. This project will impact students' educational experiences and will provide these undergraduates an opportunity to learn research skills at their own institution.