Fluorescent mesogenic boron difluoride complexes derived from heterocyclic benzoxazoles

One new series of boron difluoride complexes 1 derived from heterocyclic benzoxazoles 2 was reported, and their mesomorphic and optical properties were also investigated. One single crystal of the mesogenic BF₂ complex 1a (m = 12, n = 8) was obtained, and its single crystal and molecular structure were resolved. The geometry coordination at the central boron atom is tetrahedral. It crystallizes in a triclinic space group P1 with Z = 4. The overall molecular shape was described as slightly bent Z-shapes, and the molecular length was ca. 34.06 Å. Weak intramolecular and intermolecular H-bonds observed in the crystal lattice were attributed to the formation of mesophases. The results indicated that benzoxazoles 2a (n = 6, 8, 12) formed monotropic SmA phases, while boron difluoride complexes 1a (n = 6, 8, 12, 16) exhibited monotropic SmC mesophases. In contrast, all compounds of 2b and 1b (m = 1, n = 12 for all) were not mesogenic. Boron complexes 1 emitted a pronounced violet emission at λ_max = 399 nm in solution at room temperature.