Non-discoidal copper(II) and nickel(II) binuclear complexes forming columnar mesophases

Abstract

Nickel(II) and copper(II)cis-enaminoketone complexes with two chelating units linked by a biphenyl moiety are found to form the rectangular columnar D_r phase; the columnar phase is produced by the disc-like assemblies of non-discoid molecules; the existence of molecular dimers is confirmed by EPR measurements where doubling of the Cu^II electron and nuclear spin numbers is detected.