The magic of cyanobiphenyls: celebrity molecules

Abstract

The research achievements of George Gray extended over more than 50 years and embraced many areas of liquid crystal science. Above all he was lauded for the discovery of cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals which were a vital component of the launch of a new liquid crystal display industry in the 1970s. Important as this discovery was, Gray expressed concern that his work in other areas of liquid crystal science might be overshadowed by the impact of technological success derived from cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals. This article explores other research topics in liquid crystal science where the liquid crystallinity associated with the cyanobiphenyl moiety has been exploited to develop new and diverse liquid crystal systems. The particular properties of the cyanobiphenyl group are such as to promote liquid crystal formation in diverse structural environments, and so can be regarded as special. The importance of cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals to the development of liquid crystal displays is unchallengeable, but cyanobiphenyls have also made possible many other research advances in materials chemistry. The genius of George Gray was not only to realise the potential of cyanobiphenyls for display materials, but also to uncover their chemical magic for forming liquid crystals.