Zimmermann Group

Synthesis of isotopically labelled molecules with ¹³C, ²H, ¹⁷O, ¹⁸O, ¹⁵N (Neurotransmitters, Electron-spin-labels for proteins, Quinone-acceptors). Development of new discotic and pyramidic mesophases; Cooperations with the Weizmann-Institute, Dartmouth Medical School, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm; ETH Zürich, FU Berlin and Osaka-Sangyo University.

Another main topic is the synthesis and the characterization by NMR of new series of columnar mesophases particularly of pyramidic liquid crystals. We can prepare crown and saddle isomeres as well as optical isomers of the nona-alkanoyloxi-tribenzocyclononatriene. This is a cooperation with Zeev Luz from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot / Israel and Philippe Lesot from CNRS Université de Paris-Sud.

Structural formula of the CTV core, (b) numerical convention used for the aromatic carbons, (c) the structure of the crown conformer, (d) the structure of the saddle conformer, and (e) a schematic view of a column made of pyramidic molecules. (f) Pseudorotation of the saddle isomer.