Synthesis, Mesomorphism, Photophysics, and Device Properties of Liquid-Crystalline Pincer Complexes of Gold(III) Containing Semiperfluorinated Chains.

Gold(III) complexes of -coordinating 2,6-diphenylpyridine pincer ligands with arylacetylide co-ligands are known triplet emitters at room temperature. We have reported previously that by functionalizing both the pincer ligand and the phenylacetylene with alkoxy chains, liquid crystallinity may be induced, with the complexes showing columnar mesophases. We now report new derivatives in which the phenylacetylene incorporates one, two, or three 1,1,2,2-perfluoroalkyl chains.