Deuterium NMR Studies of Discotic Liquid Crystals

Deuterium Nuclear Magnetic Resonance studies in discotic mesophases are reviewed. The studies include NMR measurements on neat compounds as well as deuterated probe molecules dissolved in the mesophase. The discotic compounds discussed include derivatives of benzene, triphenylene and truxene which exhibit a variety of mesophases. Particular emphasis is placed on comparing axially symmetric and biaxial phases, and on analyzing the various orientational order parameters required to characterize their NMR spectra. The conformation of side chains as derived from the deuterium resonance of the methylene and methyl deuterons is also reviewed. Finally, the properties of discotic mesophases as ordering solvents for solute probe molecules are discussed