Liquid crystals based on fluorinated carbohydrates.

Fluorine introduced in the hydrophilic or the hydrophobic region of amphiphiles influences the thermomesomorphy of amphiphilic and monophilic fluorosugars in a very specific manner. This paper is the first review about chiral mesogens based on fluorinated carbohydrates. It covers the literature published so far. Analytical objectives are given to: (i) Effects of fluorine atoms on the H-bonding network of the hydrophilic region of sugar amphiphiles; (ii) Effects of perfluoroalkyl chains compared to alkyl chains; (iii) Polymorphism, e.g., also formation of smectic S(C)* phases.