Observation of a frustrated nematic phase in amphiphilic, disc-like complexes of gold(III) containing hydrocarbon and semiperfluorocarbon terminal chains

The mesomorphism is reported of a discotic complex of gold(III) that is amphiphilic on account of the presence of both hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon chains. The all-hydrocarbon analogue of the complex shows only a columnar hexagonal phase between the melting and clearing points, whereas this new, amphiphilic example shows a nematic phase between a columnar rectangular phase and a columnar hexagonal phase. The nature and formation of the nematic phase are discussed and it is proposed to be a columnar nematic formed as a result of frustration driven by the amphiphilic nature of the complex.