Liquid crystal compositions comprising an organogermanium compound and methods for using the same

1. A liquid crystal composition comprising at least two different compounds, wherein at least one of the compounds is an organogermanium compound of the formula:

D-E-F;

wherein

D is a chain having from about 5 to about 20 chain atoms, wherein each of the chain atoms is independently selected from the group consisting of C, O, N, S, and Si;

E is a core moiety having two, three, or four ring moieties, wherein each ring moiety is connected to the other ring moiety by a linker, and wherein each linker is independently comprised of from 0 to about 5 chain atoms;

F is a moiety of the formula:

—[Y] b -R 3 —[Si(R 4 ) 2 ] c —R 5 —GeR 6 R 7 R 8

wherein

each of b and c is independently 0 or 1;

Y is O, S, C(═W),-Z-C(═W)—; —C(═W)-Z-, —C≡C—, or NR 2 ;

W is O or S;

Z is O, S or NR 9 ;

each of R 2 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or a nitrogen protecting group;

each of R 3 and R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkylene, haloalkylene, heteroalkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, heteroalkenylene, and heteroalkynylene;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl; and

each of R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 is independently C 1-4 alkyl.

2. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein said Organogermanium compound is a liquid crystal compound.

3. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein said liquid Crystal composition is a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.

4. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the other compounds in said liquid crystal composition is a non-organogermanium compound.

5. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of organogermanium compound in said liquid crystal composition is at least 20%.

6. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein said liquid Crystal composition further comprises a second organogermanium compound.

7. The liquid crystal composition of claim 1 , wherein the temperature range of smectic C phase exhibited by said liquid crystal composition is at least about 10° C. wide.

8. A liquid crystal composition which is in a liquid crystal phase at room temperature, said liquid crystal composition comprising an organogermanium compound.

9. The liquid crystal composition of claim 8 , wherein said liquid crystal composition further comprises a non-organogermanium compound.

10. The liquid crystal composition of claim 8 , wherein said liquid crystal composition is enantiotropic.

11. The liquid crystal composition of claim 8 , wherein said liquid crystal composition further comprises a second organogermanium compound.

12. The liquid crystal composition of claim 11 , wherein the total amount of organogermanium compounds in said liquid crystal composition is at least about 20%.

13. The liquid crystal composition of claim 8 , wherein said organogermanium compound is a chiral compound.

14. An enantiotropic liquid crystal composition comprising an organogermanium compound.

15. The enantiotropic liquid crystal composition of claim 14 , wherein said liquid crystal composition is in a liquid crystal phase at room temperature.

16. The enantiotropic liquid crystal composition of claim 14 , wherein said liquid crystal composition further comprises at least one non-organogermanium compound, and wherein the amount of total non-organogermanium compounds in said liquid crystal composition is about 80% or less.

17. A liquid crystal organogermanium compound of the formula:

D-E-F;

wherein

D is a chain having from about 5 to about 20 chain atoms, wherein each of the chain atoms is independently selected from the group consisting of C, O, N, S, and Si;

E is a core moiety having two, three, or four ring moieties, wherein each ring moiety is connected to the other ring moiety by a linker, and wherein each linker is independently comprised of from 0 to about 5 chain atoms;

F is a moiety of the formula:

—[Y] b —R 3 —[Si(R 4 ) 2 ] c —R 5 —GeR 6 R 7 R 8

wherein each of b and c is independently 0 or 1;

Y is O, S, C(═W), -Z-C(═W)—;—C(═W)-Z-,—C≡C—, or NR 2 ;

W is O or S;

Z is O, S or NR 9 ;

each of R 2 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or a nitrogen protecting group;

each of R 3 and R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkylene, haloalkylene, heteroalkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, heteroalkenylene, and heteroalkynylene;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl; and

each of R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 is independently C 1-4 alkyl.

18. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 17 , wherein each ring moiety of E is independently selected from the group consisting of cycloalkylene, heterocycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, heterocycloalkenylene, arylene, and heteroarylene, each of which is independently optionally substituted.

19. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 18 , wherein each arylene is independently selected from the group consisting of phenylene, naphthylene, dihydronaphthylene and tetrahydronaphthylene, each of which is independently optionally substituted.

20. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 18 , wherein each heteroarylene contains one or two nitrogen ring atoms.

21. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 20 , wherein each heteroarylene is independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted pyridinylene and optionally substituted pyrimindinylene.

22. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 18 , wherein each ring moiety of E is independently arylene or heteroarylene, each of which is independently optionally substituted with one or two substituents, wherein each substituent is independently selected from the group consisting of halide, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxide, haloalkoxide, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, nitro, cyano, amino, monoalkylamino, and dialkylamino.

23. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 17 , wherein each linker chain is independently comprised of from about 0 to about 4 carbon atoms within the linker chain and 0 to 1 heteroatom within the linker chain, wherein each of the heteroatom is independently selected from the group consisting of O, N and S.

24. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 17 , wherein D is a moiety of the formula:

R 1 —[X] a —

wherein

a is 0 or 1;

X is O, S, C(═W), -Z-C(═W); —C(═W)-Z-, —C≡C—, or NR 2 ;

W is O or S;

Z is O, S or NR 9 ;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkenyl, and heteroalkynyl; and

each of R 2 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or a nitrogen protecting group.

25. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 24 , wherein R 1 is alkyl, haloalkyl, or heteroalkyl.

26. The liquid crystal organogermanium compound of claim 17 , wherein each of R 6 ,R 7 , and R 8 is independently methyl, ethyl, or butyl.

27. A liquid crystal composition comprising a compound of claim 17 .

28. A compound of the Formula:

D-E-F;

wherein

D is a chain having from about 5 to about 20 chain atoms, and wherein D is a moiety of the formula:

R 1 —[X] a —

wherein

a is 0 or 1;

X is O, S, C(═W),-Z-C(═W)—; —C(═W)-Z-,—C≡C—, or NR 2 ;

W is O or S;

Z is O, S or NR 9 ;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkenyl, and heteroalkynyl; and

each of R 2 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or a nitrogen protecting group;

E is a core moiety having two, three, or four ring moieties, wherein each ring moiety is connected to the other ring moiety by a linker, and wherein each linker is independently comprised of from 0 to about 5 chain atoms;

F is a moiety of the formula:

—[Y] b —R 3 —[Si(R 4 ) 2 ] c —R 5 —GeR 6 R 7 R 8

wherein each of b and c is independently 0 or 1;

Y is O, S, C(═W), -Z-C(═W)—;—C(═W)-Z-,—C≡C—, or NR 2 ;

W is O or S;

Z is O, S or NR 9 ;

each of R 2 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or a nitrogen protecting group;

each of R 3 and R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkylene, haloalkylene, heteroalkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, heteroalkenylene, and heteroalkynylene;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl; and

each of R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 is independently C 1-4 alkyl.