METALLOMESOGENS: RETROSPECTIVES AND PERSPECTIVES

The present review enlightens the evolution history of the area of metal-containing liquid crystals starting from the first observation of their unusual behavior until today. The research efforts related to the initial period of systematic studies of metal-containing liquid crystals, which played a key role in the development of main research directions in the area of metallomesogens, are discussed. The most interesting results from the standpoint of new physicochemical properties connected with the presence of metal atoms in a liquid crystal molecule are highlighted, and the most promising directions of studies in the area of metallomesogens, related to the modern period of development of science and technologies, are listed.