Controlled self-assembly of chiral gelator molecules into aligned fibers induced by nematic to smectic B phase transitions

Chiral bisoxalamide 1 shows remarkable gelling capacity of the nematic and smectic B liquid-crystalline phases of heptylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (HCCA). Chiral nematic-containing left-handed helical fiber bundles are formed if the gelator is present in amounts higher than 0.55 wt %. With lower amounts of 1, no nematic gel forms, however, a nematic to smectic B phase transition triggers instantaneous self-assembly of gelator molecules into aligned fibers. The latter liquid crystalline gel system represents an example of controlled self-assembly induced by a liquid crystalline phase transition.