Highly ordered π-extended discotic liquid-crystalline triindoles

New pi-extended discotic liquid crystals based on heptacyclic triindole have been synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour investigated. The synthesis of pi-extended compounds was carried out by oxidative cyclodehydrogenation of differently substituted star-shaped hexaaryltriindoles to afford the planar derivatives with an extended core. Extending the conjugation in these materials results in a significant increase in the order and range of the mesophases. The influence of the peripherally attached groups in the mesomorphic and electronic properties offers a great opportunity to further tune the properties of these compounds intended to their incorporation in devices.