Jinqiang Jiang,Zhongrong Shen, Jun Lu, Pengfei Fu, Yuan Lin, Huadong Tang, Haiwen Gu, Jin Sun, Ping Xie,* and Rongben Zhang*

A unique metal-containing liquid crystal consisting of a novel Gemini-like metallic macrodiscogen with copper bis(b-Diketonate)-based twin cores has been successfully synthesized. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been used to characterize the ideal square planar conformation (see Figure). The low ionization potential and the reversible oxidation process values suggest a large capability for hole injection. The much-improved conductivity (10^-4 Scm^-1) of iodine-doped GBMM, in particular, suggests its possible application as a one-dimensional semiconductor.

Adv. Mater. 2004, 16, No.17, 1534-1538