Synthesis of a pyrimidine-based new chiral inducer for construction of cholesteric liquid crystal electrolyte solution and its electrochemical polymerization, and stimulated emission like interference

Abstract

Pyrimidine-based chiral compounds were successfully synthesized via Mitsunobu reaction. The chiral molecules with rigid molecular shape can function as chiral inducers (chiral dopant) to prepare cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electrolyte solutions. We carried out electrochemical polymerization in the CLC electrolyte solution thus prepared with the chiral inducer. The polymerization in the CLC afforded chiroptically active polymer films. The synthesis of the pyrimidine-based chiral inducer, electrochemical polymerization, and observation of a surface image of the polymer were carried out. It is noted that the polymer shows laser diffraction in the visible range due to a periodic pattern produced by imprinting of structural chirality of the CLC electrolyte solution. The laser diffraction patterns are multiple circles, implying occurrence of stimulated emission via periodic patterns of the cholesteric order.