Communications
[2] a) J.-M. Lehn, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2002, 99, 4763; b) J.-M.
phases, see: D.Jin, H.Kim, S.H.Kim, S.K.Kim,
J. Phys. Chem.
B 1997, 101, 10757.
Lehn, Science 2002, 295, 2400.
[21] The coexistence between liquid-crystalline and liquid domains is
observed between the ITO plates.
[22] S.Dhara, N.V.Madhusudana, Europhys. Lett. 2004, 67, 411.
[23] For a theoretical study of the effect of an external electric field
on bond activation reactions, see: S.Shaik, S.P.de Visser, D.
Kumar, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 11746.
[3] O.Ramström, J-.M.Lehn, Nat. Rev. Drug Discovery 2001, 1, 26.
[4] a) N.Giuseppone, J.-M.Lehn, Chem. Eur. J. 2006, 12, 1715; b) N.
Giuseppone, J.-M. Lehn, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 11448;
c) N.Giuseppone, G.Fuks, J-.M.Lehn,
1723.
Chem. Eur. J. 2006, 12,
[5] S.Nampally, J-.M.Lehn, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2005, 102,
5938.
[24] We thank a referee for comments concerning the origin of the
chemical effects observed by application of the electric field.In
particular, the “coupling to the field” merely indicates that the
observed effects result from the interaction of the electric field
with the liquid-crystalline species.Such coupling may involve
several factors/mechanisms.The energy necessary to displace
the equilibrium as described in Scheme 2 and Figure 4 is
calculated to be about DDG ꢂ 80 calmolÀ1.The electric inter-
action energy with the system is too weak to explain the
observations, even if a contribution from flexoelectricity[10] is
taken into account.When the field is applied close to the phase
transition, the effect could be in the correct range, but should
change on varying the temperature, which appears not to be the
case.The heat capacity associated with the isotropic/nematic
phase transition is known to be also in the range required to shift
the equilibrium,[25] however, the lack of a temperature effect
(Figure 5) indicates that it is not a major factor.Finally,
electrohydrodynamic instabilities observed in the DSM mode
are known to be caused by ionic currents;[26] the contribution of
the field heterogeneity related to the motions of ionic particles
throughout the sample could be more than enough to displace
the equilibrium with the experimentally measured values of the
conductivity.Ionic motions and the conceivable accumulation of
charges on the electrode surfaces would lead to high local field
values, capable of sufficient interaction with the liquid crystal to
result in its amplification from the DCL.
[6] N. Giuseppone, J.-L. Schmitt, J.-M. Lehn, Angew. Chem. 2004,
116, 5010; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 4902.
[7] J.-M. Lehn in Supramolecular Science: Where It Is and Where It
Is Going (Eds.: R. Ungaro, E. Dalcanale), Kluwer, Dordrecht,
The Netherlands, 1999, 287.
[8] J.-M. Lehn, Polym. Int. 2002, 51, 825, and references therein.
[9] For a recent review on the use of liquid crystals for display
technology, see: P.Kirsch, M.Bremer, Angew. Chem. 2000, 112,
4384; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 4216.
[10] P.-G. de Gennes, The Physics of Liquid Crystals Clarendon,
Oxford, 1973.
[11] a) C-.P.Fan, M.J.Stephen,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 1970, 25, 500; b) I.
Lelidis, M.Nobili, G.Durand, Phys. Rev. E 1993, 48, 3818; c) I.
Lelidis, G.Durand, Phys. Rev. E 1993, 48, 3822; d) I.Lelidis, G.
Durand, Phys. Rev. Lett. 1994, 73, 672; e) I.Lelidis, G.Durand,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 1996, 76, 1868.
[12] a) J.Tang, S.Fraden, Phys. Rev. Lett. 1993, 71, 3509; b) M.I.
ˇ
Boamfa, K.Viertler, A.Wewerka, F.Stelzer, P.C.M.Chris-
tianen, J.C.Maan, Phys. Rev. E 2003, 67, 050701.
[13] a) To improve the reliability of LC displays, some studies
addressed the influence of traces of water in mixtures of
imine-type liquid crystals.[13b] The presence of residual water
was demonstrated, as well as subsequent changes in the TI/N
values of the mixtures; however, the use of mixtures of LCs as
dynamic systems, has not been explored; b) H.Sorkin, A.
Denny, RCA Rev. 1973, 34, 308.
[25] R.Chang, F.B.Jones, J.J.Ratto, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 1976, 33,
13 (DH(NematicÀIsotropic) = 0.10 kcalmolÀ1; T= 45.88C).
[14] The choice of transimination as the exchange reaction is of
crucial importance to avoid the presence of water (that would be
formed in amine–carbonyl condensations) in the present systems
so as to maintain high resistance to the electric current upon
application of a high voltage.For catalyzed and noncatalyzed
transimination reactions, see: N.Giuseppone, J-.L.Schmitt, E.
Schwartz, J.-M. Lehn, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 5528, and
references therein.
[26] a) E.F.Carr, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 1969, 7, 253; b) W.Helfrich,
J. Chem. Phys. 1969, 51, 4093; c) S.Hirata, T.Tako, Jpn. J. Appl.
Phys. Part 2 1982, 21, L607; d) S.J.Tavener, T.Mullin, G.I.
Blake, K.A.Cliffe, Phys. Rev. E 2000, 63, 011708.
[15] a) Under these conditions the heating appeared negligible
(ca.1 8C measured at the surface of the ITO plates), in agree-
ment with literature results: b) W.Helfrich, Phys. Rev. Lett. 1970,
24, 201; c) A.J.Nicastro, P.H.Keys, Phys. Rev. A 1981, 30, 3156.
[16] G.H.Heilmeier, L.A.Zoanoni, L.A.Barton,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
1968, 13, 46.
[17] The rate of the reaction in a CDCl3 solution (C = 3.84m) was
found to be t1/2 = 60 min at 22.58C and t1/2 = 30 min at 308C,
which is also suitable for NMR measurements.
[18] The change in the direction of the displacement of the
equilibrium above 308C (Figure 3B, right-hand part of the
curve) was found to arise from evaporation of cyclopentylamine.
Thus, the effect of heating on the equilibrium is in the opposite
direction (left-hand part of the curve, Figure 3B) than that
caused by the field before evaporation takes over.
[19] For example, the use of a molar ratio of MBBA:cyclopentanol of
55:45 leads to an evaporation of 7.5% of the cyclopentanol
without field, and of 38.5% with a field of 3.5 104 VcmÀ1, after
18 h at 238C.Moreover, if MBBA is replaced by pentaethylene
glycol (with no liquid-crystal properties and similar viscosity), no
differential evaporation was observed.
[20] The effect amounts to a sort of purification under high voltage;
for electrohydrodynamic effects in the MBBA-type nematic
ꢀ 2006 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 4619 –4624