Liquid Crystalline and Gel Properties of Luminescent Cyclometalated Palladium Complexes with Benzoylthiourea Ligands

The design and development of new luminescent metallogels formed by cyclometalated palladium(II) complexes in protic solvents were investigated by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and rheology. Cyclometalated palladium(II) complexes based on imine ligand and ancillary benzoylthiourea (BTU) ligand showed red emission in solid and gel states. The formation of a lyotropic liquid crystal phase was observed for the complex bearing shorter alkyl groups on the BTU ligand. This complex also behaved as a thermotropic liquid crystal that displays a monotropic smectic A phase (SmA). Dynamic rheology measurements (frequency sweep in the 5–90 °C range) of the 1-decanol solution of palladium(II) complexes highlighted their supramolecular self-association ability to generate 3D networks and form gels as a final result.